I will love you until the end of time
by beve
Summary: 5 years have passed since Rin was left at the village. Sesshomaru has decided to visit the girl once more and perhaps take her back. Later on, he realizes that Rin is not a girl anymore and he may be falling in love but does she feel the same?
1. Chapter 1

_**AN:** Hey! This is my first fanfic ever, but If anyone will find any interest in it, I will try to update as often as possible. The storyline itself should be pretty long too. Hope you like it! And a disclaimer - I do not own the characters or settings of Inuyasha at all and I am only creating this story for entertainment purposes. _

* * *

Five years have passed since Sesshomaru left Rin in Kaede's care. Although he would occasionally drop off a gift once every six or seven months, there wasn't much talking. It was the old priestess who originally thought of this idea. After Naraku was defeated and everything calmed down, Kaede thought that it would be for the better if young Rin would cease travelling with her beloved lord and start adapting to a life amongst humans. And although at first Sesshomaru was persistent on keeping the girl with him, he did eventually decide on making the girl stay. It was for her own good, and maybe after a few years, once she learned the way of humans, and if still wanted to travel with the great demon lord, he would not go against it. He did, after all, grow close to the girl during their journeys.

Her life in the village was not as uneventful as one might think. Throughout those years in Edo, Rin picked up quite a few skills not only from Kaede, but also Kagome, Sango, other villagers and even Inuyasha. And although Rin was in Kaede's care, she often wandered into some sort of trouble – when she was younger, she would pick up fights with other village girls, wander into the dense, scary forest beyond Edo's territory while picking herbs for the old miko or occasionally stumble upon lowly yokai. But such experiences made her more open-minded and lighted a spark in her heart for seeking adventures.

It was one of those days when Rin and Sango were training in a field near the Bone Eater's well. "Rin, don't forget to keep your stance in check at all times or you might get caught off guard." The demon slayer instructed.

It's been for over a year now since the girl started training with the yokai taijiya . Whilst her skills still needed some perfecting, Rin got the hang of it rather quickly. It was because of Sesshomaru that she caught interest in fighting skills - watching her lord move graciously while in a battlefield made her want to achieve the same finesse while in combat.

"Maybe let's call it quits for the day? We still have enough time to have a quick dip in the river before the sun sets and Hoshi-sama must be already cursing me for leaving him with the kids for too long."

"Damn it I messed up again! I will never get this move right!" The girl sighed with frustration. "Can we try this one last time, Sango? Then we can go." _I can do this._

 _I hope Miroku doesn't go crazy with Hitomi and Chiyo on his head,_ Sango thought and simply nodded. Taking in her surroundings, the woman breathed in, positioned and aligned her body so it would be easier to deliver a throw and released the oversized boomerang. Once again the training has started.

* * *

Sesshomaru had just arrived to Edo and was waiting in Kaede's hut patiently. He had been thinking for quite a while now that it was time for Rin to make the decision which he and the old healer wanted Rin to have a choice on. She was of age to think fully for herself and was about to be of marrying age as well. Soon, Sesshomaru heard heavy footsteps approaching the small hut, placed on the top of a hill. _The old miko_ , he thought.

When Kaede walked in through the threshold, she was caught off-guard by the tall, towering figure in her dimly lighted home. "Aye, Sesshomaru, what brought ye today into the village? Rin must come in shortly, she is out with Sango". The old healer told him while placing her baskets full of herbs on the ground. _It's very unusual for him to stay and wait for that girl,_ the old woman thought worriedly.

After a short pause, the silence was brought down by his deep monotone voice "I have decided that it is time for Rin to make a choice. I believe she is of age now."

Kaede's eyes slightly widened. She was not expecting the demon lord to return for Rin for at least two more years. "Aye, yer not wrong, Rin is old enough, but don't forget that this girl has lived here for a while now, she might want to stay" Kaede stated. She couldn't admit that she wasn't ready to give the girl up. Throughout the years the old miko grew quite close to her, she even felt as if Rin was her own child now.

Sesshomaru only blankly stared at the priestess and responded with his usual "Hn." He did know that there's a possibility that the girl might choose the village over him. However it didn't necessarily occur to him that his lack of visits and interaction would not aid in this dilemma. After a few minutes his train of thought was broken when he heard faint steps approaching the modest cabin and just after a few moments a rather tall, young looking woman appeared.

"Rin." Sesshomaru's voice once again broke the silence. His eyes seared into her figure. It's been quite a while since he had last seen her. Even during his visits he would only drop off the presents he brought to the girl. It was agreed with Kaede that he would not intervene into her adaptation to a normal life, which namely meant he won't see her. And although he could catch a glimpse of her helping Kagome with herb picking or working in a field, he would avoid running into her. But then again, Rin stumbling upon him was almost inevitable. She knew nothing of this agreement between the demon lord and Kaede so it's only obvious she would seek his company.

The girl felt as if her heart would burst through her chest. _It's him. It's really him_ , she thought. Rin hasn't heard from Sesshomaru-sama for over a year. He was just as she remembered him. The girl felt as if his amber colored eyes pierced through her. She did, all in all, change quite a bit – she was a lot taller, even in her fourteenth year Rin was almost as tall as Kagome. Although her frame was still rather small, it only made her appear more feminine. The light pink kimono she received from her lord two years ago now fitted her perfectly, hugging every inch, dip and small curve of her body. The girl's skin was also more freckly because of all the sun exposure she got from helping Kaede and other villagers. Rin in general looked different from the people living in that part of Japan – her eyes were the color of hazelnuts or honey, brighter than the ones you could see other villagers possess, her facial features sharp and pronounced and her hair longer and more tamed. Yes, the girl did, in fact, grow out to be quite charming, which caught the great dog yokai off guard. "Sessh-.. Sesshomaru – sama?" She uttered.

All of a sudden, Sesshomaru felt the girl wrap her arms around his torso and snuggle her head into his chest. Fortunately, the dog demon wasn't as clad in armor as he would usually be. "I've missed you" was all that the girl said. He couldn't help but wrap one of his arms around her back suggestively. Yes, it has been quite a while indeed. "Rin, I've come to retrieve you" His monotone voice may have sounded emotionless but to Rin it was all she wanted to hear.

* * *

 _2 days later_

* * *

"Kagome what is THAT bastard doin' here?!" Inuyasha's irritation was clear as day. He just returned from a village which needed some help with exterminating tanuki yokai, and was not so pleased to find his older brother.

"Inuyasha, please shut UP." Kagome huffed.

"I thought he dropped off Rin and ran off like some scum?"

Kagome inhaled loudly. "That's it! Osuwa-"

"Okay okay! Sorry! " The hanyou spoke up. _Sheesh, will she ever stop sittin' me?_

"Now come with me, we need to say goodbye to her and wish her a happy journey" The miko said excitingly. She felt as if Rin was her younger sister, caring and kind, always lending a helping hand when in need. God, how she'll miss her. _But there's no time to sulk,_ she told herself. _Rin has been waiting for this moment for a really long time. I should feel happy for her._

* * *

Today was the day and Rin was ready to departure. Sesshomaru gave her two days to think over her options- to stay here in this village or leave with him. This village, Edo, was her home. She found a new life here where she was accepted, found new friends, grew close to the people around her and most importantly, she felt loved. But in the end, she wished to stay with her lord. He saved her life, showed her mercy and kindness. In a way, she was indebted to him with all her being. She knew that her place was by his side.

"Rin, are you prepared?" He wouldn't admit it to himself, but he was eager to have her back in his care. He had missed her. He missed her laughter, her bright eyes, all of her. Now, when the demon lord looked at her, he couldn't help but notice that she did grew up quite a bit. She herself was a lot taller, her hair a bit longer and her face looked more mature. He noticed many things about her that were different, but failed to acknowledge that Rin, his little Rin, was not a girl anymore.

"Yes, Sesshomaru- sama." Rin exclaimed cheerfully while sitting comfortably on the two-headed dragon Ah-Un. After everyone bid her a farewell, she felt rather saddened by the fact that she might not see her friends for a while. But Sesshomaru's voice reminded her that now she will once again be in her lord's care. Knowing this, the girl felt less anxious.

"Good journey, child, I hope ye won't forget that you can come back anytime ye wish. After all, it's yer home now as well" Kaede stated warmly. She will truly miss Rin.

"Yeah, and if my jackass of a brother gets on your nerves, you know where you can find me" Inuyasha huffed and crossed his arms on his chest, which earned him a death glare from Kagome. _Will he ever get rid of that foul tongue of his?_ She speculated.

"Okay, thank you, everyone, for your hospitality, I will miss all of you greatly!" The girl chimed.  
And with those words, the two-headed dragon left the ground. Rin turned back to look at her friends and her home for the last time, seeing them wave goodbye. _Hopefully I'll see you all soon enough._

* * *

 _2 months later_

* * *

"Lady Rin , don't run down the halls of the castle! You might get hurt!" One servant lady screamed as the young girl sped through the dark, marble-floored corridors.

"You insolent child! How dare you disobey my lord's orders! If you don't stop n-" Jaken was trying to catch up to the girl when suddenly he bumped into Lord Sesshomaru. This got just enough time for Rin to get to her destination.

"M-my lord!" Jaken screeched. "Please forgive your humble servant for runni-" He was cut off once again.

"Jaken." Lord Sesshomaru's voice was as cold as ever. "What is the meaning of this, where is Rin?"

"My lord I- I was trying to catch Rin! That insolent stupid girl is once again late for her calligraphy lessons!" Jaken flared with frustration. How dare she defy his lordship's requests?!

"Hn." was all Jaken heard when he was kicked away like some trash.

 _Stupid girl, it's all your fault,_ the green imp cursed.

* * *

Calligraphy was definitely not one of Rin's talents. She already knew how to read, but her handwriting looked like it belonged to a five year old.

" _Lady_ Rin, please focus. Our lord would definitely not be _too_ pleased to find out that _you_ are lacking in some sort of way." A snobby noblewoman directed her remark at Rin. The demon woman was assigned by Lord Sesshomaru himself to teach the teenage girl how to write properly, and as of right now, the lessons were barely helping her.

"My handwriting is not that bad! Look, it's perfectly legible" Rin whined. She has been going to these ' _studies_ ' for about a month now, and all she does here is listen to criticism from this serpent-like yokai woman. _Her outside perfectly matches her inside,_ Rin snickered to herself.

"I can barely read a word! Are you even right-handed?!" The snake yokai was losing her patience. _What did I ever do to deserve this, My Lord? To tutor a lowly human, nonetheless!_

A few hours had passed when Rin was finally released from those utterly boring lectures. Now, she was free to do whatever she wanted, but this time she had something particular in her mind. _I need to find Sesshomaru-sama,_ the girl told herself. While roaming the long halls of this oversized mansion she barely got the time to explore, Rin searched for Sesshomaru's chambers. Usually, when the yokai lord wasn't out on some important quest or patrolling the Western borders, he could be found in his study. And it seemed like today was Rin's lucky day.

She slowly sneaked to the japanese styled Shoji door, which supposedly belonged to Sesshomaru's study and bed chambers, and before she even had the chance to knock on the frame, the girl heard a monotone "Come in, Rin". _Ah, he and those senses of his_ , she thought.

Once Rin stepped over the threshold of her lord's huge, beautifully furnished chambers clad in red and gold, she was met with a pair of curious amber-colored eyes staring back at her.

"What is it that you seek from this Sesshomaru?" he said with a slighty different tone than Rin was used to. It was almost as if it was playful, which caught her off guard.

"I- um – I just wanted to ask something. While I was back in Edo, I started training how to combat. And now I came here wanting to ask you for a permission to continue. My lord, may I?" She uttered hopefully.

After a short pause, Rin heard a single "No." It seemed like he had just lost his good mood.

"But… Why?" She pleaded in a hurt voice _. Why the hell wouldn't he let me fight?_

"Is _my_ protection not enough for you Rin? And why was I not informed of your so called _training?_ Fighting is dangerous and you are merely human. Even while in training you can easily lose your life. " Sesshomaru stood up from his desk and got closer to where the girl was standing, towering over her slight frame. _I shouldn't have left her there,_ he flared.

"I am perfectly capable of handling myself! As you can see, I am just fine! I want to be stronger, because there will be a time where you won't be able to run to my aid. I need to learn how to protect _myself."_ Rin declared while getting one step closer to Sesshomaru as if challenging his authority.

This remark slightly widened the yokai lord's eyes. Such Rin's noncompliant actions unknowingly made Sesshomaru realize that Rin may not be such a small girl after all. Her faint womanly scent took him by surprise. _Is she trying to defy me?_ The demon reckoned. "Rin , I shall not accept such behavior and disobedience. Remember your place, you _insolent_ girl." Sesshomaru seethed with anger.

The young, still childish woman simply stared at the dog demon with utter surprise in her eyes and a slight ache in her heart. He had never spoken to her so harshly, but yet again, she had never acted so rebelliously against him either. With that being said, the girl just turned around and left her lord's chambers in a rather discourteous way. _Fine,_ Rin thought.

Sesshomaru unaffectedly glared at the ignorant girl as she left, and sat down at his old, intricately carved wooden desk stacked with all kinds of manuscripts. There, the yokai lord took his head into his hands with a frustrated groan. _Where did she get that impudent attitude from?_ He thought.

* * *

 _Later that day_

* * *

Rin's room was located not too far from her lord's room. They both resided on the same floor in the northern wing of the castle. The room itself was rather big, enough space for even a brawl. But of course, Rin wouldn't want to ruin the antique wooden flooring, or destroy any of the crème coloured furniture placed throughout the chambers. The walls were decorated with traditional Japanese styled paintings of flowers, and on the left of the area there was a small balcony with a beautiful view to the vast mountain range which extended far into the horizon. And Rin was exactly there, leaning over the balustrade of the tiny balcony and staring hazily into the distance. That was until she heard someone enter her room

"Rin." She heard a monotone voice call her name. The girl turned around and her eyes met an emotionless look on Sesshomaru's face.

"Yes, my lord?" she said flatly. Rin felt extremely upset since their last interaction. Ever since she was little, she wanted to combat with the same grace and preciseness like the dog demon, and yet he completely discarded her wants and wishes.

"I have decided something. I cannot rule over you with no regard to your ambitions or whims. Therefore if you want to fight, you may, under my supervision. You will be assigned to my second commander Hino Ryu. Your training starts tomorrow." Sesshomaru said emphatically, "But do not forget that **you** _are_ _below me_ and must respect whatever decisions I make."

Rin was unprepared for such a response. "I u-understand, that won't happen again. Thank you, Sesshomaru-sama." The girl muttered while keeping her eyes on the fancy wooden flooring beneath her feet. After that, she just quickly bowed her head and Sesshomaru left the room. _At least I'll get to fight,_ she thought.

The next morning Rin was woken up by another snake-looking demon, this time a maid. "Lady Rin, Lord Sesshomaru has informed me that today you start your training with our second commander Hino Ryu- sama, please wake up! He will be enraged if you don't show up before the sun rises."

After a quiet pause a loud 'WHAT' was heard on the whole floor of Rin's chambers. " _Before_ sunrise!? He is _kidding_ , right?" Rin said groggily.

"I'm afraid not. If you disobey the commander's orders you might as well forget about learning to fight at all." The scaly-skinned maid informed.

 _Shit,_ was all that the young woman managed to murmur before being pulled out of the bed.

* * *

The training was held high up in an empty field on a tall hill behind the northern wing of the castle. There, Rin was met by the second commander of lord Sesshomaru's army, Hino Ryu, who was supposed to be the girl's instructor.

"Good morning, commander Hino Ryu, I am Rin." She said as she bowed her head in front of the tall, threatening –looking man. He, just like Sesshomaru, had golden eyes and long hair. But this man was no dog demon. His hair was as black as the moonless night and his orbs looked slightly snake-like. Turns out, Rin's master was a Fire Dragon, the last of its kind – something she knew from those boring history lessons.

"So Sesshomaru assigned _me_ to teach a lowly human? How pathetic." He spoke with venom in his voice.

At that point, Rin knew that learning how to combat will be just as tormenting as going to those terrible calligraphy lectures.

* * *

"Dodge. Jump. Turn. Go left. I _said_ LEFT! Are you that stupid you cannot differentiate between right and left?" Ryu burst with frustration. They have been doing these simple exercises for about a week now and Rin still lacked dexterity in her movements. The fact that her instructor was a yokai didn't help. He used his inhuman powers to his own advantage, trying to get at Rin in any way possible. Even after the first day of her training, she could barely walk because of the intolerable pain she felt in her muscles. Bruises covered her whole body from the cruel regimen of the dragon demon.

"Please, let me catch my breath," the girl wheezed. "It would really help if you stopped using your yokai powers. I can't keep up!"

"It is none of my concern that you are _weak._ Just give up, you won't achieve anything from this anyway." He smirked. This man, or better say, demon, perfectly knew all of the girl's weak spots. She will always rise up to the challenge no matter how hard it can be.  
Rin, still kneeling on the ground from the hit she received just a few moments ago, eyed her instructor wearily. Even she could admit that this man was extremely attractive. His chiseled bare chest, long dark hair, held high in a ponytail, and golden armbands around his biceps made him look almost divine. But this didn't change the fact that he was a total asshole. Not only was he exceptionally rude and cruel, it seemed like he rather enjoyed making her suffer.

"I will not." And with those words, she rose from the ground to meet his golden eyes.

Hino Ryu simply sneered at her remark, knowing that Rin will regret this immensely.

While watching this exchange from one of the castle's windows, Sesshomaru frowned. He was fully aware of the fact that Ryu was not someone to mess around with. He specifically asked the commander to train Rin in an attempt to make her forget about fighting at all but he was not too happy that Rin would end up hurt in the process. Turns out, she was very determined to achieve her goal.

* * *

3 months later

* * *

Rin was now finally fourteen. During those few months Rin had found out why Sesshomaru assigned categorically Hino Ryu, which only made her slightly despise her lord. She got better and better in her new combat skills from training almost every day and in an effort to prove both the dog demon and the dragon demon wrong – the girl was, in fact, capable of protecting herself.

As of right now, Rin was sitting in the enormous dining room, full of elaborate paintings, tatami mats scattered all over the black marble floor and with Sesshomaru in front, who was blatantly staring at her while she was eating her deliciously prepared miso soup.  
"What?" she mumbled with the spoon still in her mouth.

"You've been avoiding me" he said after a short pause.

Once more, the room was left quiet with the only sounds of Rin's clinking utensils and chewing being left. As soon as the food was swallowed, she announced, "No I'm not. It's just that I've been busy with all those _lessons_ I have to attend."

"Hn."

"I'd say you're the one who's trying to avoid me, My lord. After all, it was _you_ who assigned me to all these lectures." Rin suggested in an attempt to make it all seem like it was the dog demons fault while in fact she did actually try to avoid him.

Being quite familiar with what Rin was attempting to do and knowing fully that she was indeed evading him, Sesshomaru decided to play along. "Well then, if you feel so, why don't you come to my chambers every evening after the sun sets? I'm certain you and I both can find the time for such an arrangement" He smirked.

"Um… Fine, I suppose..." She said anxiously. Rin didn't expect this at all. Her plan completely backfired.

"Good. I'll see you this evening then." The dog demon clarified and stood up from the table. He made one last glance at Rin at saw that she was absolutely at loss. With that in mind, he grinned and left the oversized dining room.

 _What. The. Fuck,_ the girl thought as she stared at her bowl of soup. _Did he just play me?_

* * *

 _ **AN** : First chapter done. Stay tuned for more and please review. Any kind of criticism is welcome!_


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN:** Hey guys, I'm back! Thank you very much for the reviews, they really motivated me to finish this chapter! I know it took my quite long to upload, and I'm soo sorry. I want my chapters to be a bit longer and I didn't really have the time.. But anyway, I'm happy to know that there are readers, so don't worry, I won't ditch this story :D. I know how it feels when the author stops updating.. Enjoy!_

* * *

 _Everyday it's getting colder and colder,_ Rin noted as she was sitting in the palace's lavish garden while hazily gazing into nothing in particular. No wonder though, it has been more or less five months since the girl left Inuyasha's village with her lord. Because it was the last month of autumn, it was only natural for the weather to turn frostier.

The garden itself was placed within the mansion's area, therefore it was completely surrounded by powerful walls. In the middle of the terrace there was a huge oak tree, similar to the one near the Bone Eater's well, and since it was November, the leaves of that tree were stained in a vast palette of yellow, red and orange hues. The only difference between these two wooden giants was that Edo's tree symbolized purity and spirituality, while the castle's tree indicated power and timelessness. And there, just below the tree's massive branches, sat Rin, gently staring into the distance. _I wonder how everyone is doing back in the village,_ she thought, while tucking her palms deeper into the sleeves of her fairly thin yellow kimono.

"Girl, what are you doing in this cold weather?" Rin suddenly heard a curious voice. As the teenager turned her head to see to whom did this voice belong, she noticed a rather elegant looking female yokai. She had light brown eyes which held a certain kindness underneath and cinnamon colored hair with two pointy cat-like ears poking out of it. Her features were rather soft and delicate, indicating that she was still relatively young compared to the other highborn individuals of the Western lands. This woman was dressed in a beautiful crimson colored kimono complimented by a yellow obi which only suggested that she too was of higher rank.

"I was just about to leave" the girl exhaled as she stood up from the cold ground.

"No, no, stay. I'm not kicking you out," the woman chuckled heartily, "you must be that famous human our lord Sesshomaru brought to the palace, Rin, if I remember correctly, was your name?"

"Human - yes but not so sure about the famous part though" The teenager slurred with irony and a tint of caution sounding in her voice.

Seemingly pleased with what she just heard, the yokai beamed and bowed her head in a graceful manner. "It's a pleasure to meet you Rin. I'm Tomoko".

Rin was completely puzzled. Every noble in this castle surely tried to avert their eyes from her wherever she went. The girl felt as if she was unworthy of being amongst these people. The only folk that didn't regard her as someone of no significance were her Lord, Jaken and some of the maids. Keeping this in mind, she inhaled and asked the seemingly obvious question on her mind while knitting together her dark eyebrows and creating a frown "Tomoko-san, may I ask what caught your interest in me? Most of the nobles don't show an interest of any sort concerning my presence".

"Please, just call me Tomoko. It's that I've never actually spoken to a human before! I've seen them-yes, but mankind is rather weary of demons, and kitsune yokai, even though we have a humanoid form, still have ears. I'm just really interested in your way of life, but the only things I've heard about you humans were mostly bad" Tomoko snickered showing off her fanged teeth.

The whole garden was beautifully illuminated by the setting sun, which only reminded Rin that she had promised the dog demon to show up at his chambers once the sun was fully set. "Ah, I see. Well it was really nice meeting you. I do wish we could talk more, but I must be going now, Lord Sesshomaru requested me to join him this evening." Rin said with a smile as she bowed.

"Okay, Rin, I look forward to seeing you again!"

* * *

As Rin leisurely strolled through the mansion's dimly lighted hallways filled with aimlessly roaming nobles and working servants, she pondered about the exchange she just had with the fox demon. _Tomoko seemed very kindhearted and friendly,_ Rin observed. _Probably the nicest person I've met during these last 5 months._ Perhaps now the girl will have someone to talk to, she did ,after all, feel rather lonely being enclosed within the castle's walls without having anyone to confide in. The only real friends she had were Sango and Kagome but they too were miles away and the only means of communication Rin had were letters which she rarely got these days. Soon the train of thought of the young woman ended when she reached the hall in which her quarters were located.

In her chambers, Rin intently looked through the clothing she hid in the dark walk-in closet. Since the kimono she wore at the moment was far too warm to have on while inside the castle, it was a good idea to change into something lighter. The wardrobe itself wasn't as big as the one Sesshomaru had in his room, but it was just as filled with all kinds of garb– beautiful and extravagant kimonos, simple yet lovely yukatas and an impressive amount of different colored obis. _There's way too many fabrics in here,_ Rin pointed out to herself. Running her hand through the soft cotton cloths, she decided to clothe herself in a plain violet yukata, something similar she would wear when going to sleep or in summer. _This'll do._

As she stood in front of the massive mirror adorned by silver frames, while putting on her chosen garment, Rin was inspecting the reflection of herself, running her hands down every small curve and dip of her form. Her petite body had more muscle definition compared to when she lived in Edo, she noted as she slid her palm over the fine line that appeared in the middle of her abdomen. Then, she slowly moved to her ribs, noticing how the protruding bones underneath unintentionally highlighted her delicate breasts. Although the skin may seem soft to the touch, Rin's flesh was also covered in quite a few bruises from training with Ryu. The instructor was both merciless and cruel, manhandling her on every occasion the yokai would get, which resulted in dark purple marks on Rin's skin. Carefully caressing the surface of the marks with the tips of her fingers, she winced at the prickling feeling her touch produced. These bruises made the girl feel insecure about her true strength but either way, she won't give up just yet.

Once she had finished tying the white sash around her yukata, Rin thought about fixing her long ebony hair. She usually wore her thick locks completely loose, with her fringe messily swept to both sides of her face but this time she wanted something different. Rin carefully separated a few shorter strands of her dark hair from the front of her head and gracefully tied them into a simple topknot. The teenager once again looked herself over in the mirror examining the new hairstyle. _Perfect,_ she thought, seemingly satisfied with her work. Turning her gaze a bit upward while still looking into the mirror, the girl suddenly noticed a reflection of someone standing on the threshold of her room.

"Rin, Lord Sesshomaru is awaiting for you," said the maid which had been serving Rin ever since the training with the dragon demon started.

"Okay, Mako, I'll be there soon." Rin chimmed, already feeling the anxiousness building up.

"Our Lord has also asked you to bring him this –" Mako pointed her nose to the tray she was holding with both of her scaly hands, "I believe he wants you to join him for tea" The maid chuckled with clear amusement.

"Tea? Okay, sure." Rin hid her annoyance by faking a smile. The girl _really_ didn't want to sit down and chit-chat with Sesshomaru. Not only because he wasn't exactly a conversationalist, but also because he didn't approve of her fighting. He wanted her to give up, which only made her wonder what did Sesshomaru want from her exactly with this 'meeting'.

* * *

The Dog demon was casually lounging on one of the tatami mats with his head resting in his palm. He too, just like Rin, wore an ordinary yukata, which, in his case, revealed quite a bit of the dog demon's muscular chest, and not too far from him was a half-finished bottle of sake. The alcohol, although not by too much, had an effect on him – he felt warm inside and his mind had getten foggier. Soon, the lord's attention was captured by Rin's presence.

"May I come in, Seshomaru-sama?" the young woman asked politely while standing at the doorstep. For some reason, she felt overly exposed when he held his gaze on her for more than a few seconds and Rin started to shift from one foot to another in a nervous manner.

"You may." He said with approval.

With those words, the yokai lord straightened himself into a more appropriate position and his eyes followed her as she entered his chambers. Just like she was instructed by the attentive maid, Rin brought a silver tray with two small porcelain cups placed upside down and a kettle filled with hot green tea. The girl was unsure as to why did she have to bring tea in general, but decided to play along. _I hope he's in a good mood today,_ Rin wished quietly.

"Sit." Sesshomaru ordered her in a commanding tone. The whole room was dimly lighted by the crackling flame in the fireplace, which was placed not too far from where the demon lord was resting currently, and the last rays of the setting sun coming through the windows. The orange and red hues of both the fire and the sunset illuminated the place celestially, which made Rin gasp with amazement. "These lights look almost otherworldly, my Lord" she uttered while turning around.

"Hn."

When the girl lowered herself onto the tatami mat and set down the tray on the wooden floor, she started calmly pouring in some steaming tea for both herself and Sesshomaru. But as she was about to pass the warm cup of tea to the dog demon, her fingertips slightly brushed against the dog yokai's skin of his outstretched hand. Almost instantly, Rin felt a shivering sensation travel throughout her whole body, as if it was electric, and sensed her cheeks get warm. _Please don't tell me I'm blushing._ "S-sorry" she silently mumbled. _What the hell is this feeling?_

Perfectly aware of the reaction Rin just had from this meager contact, Sesshomaru asked with a smirk, "What for?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing. Really" The girl suddenly felt pretty flustered and started fumbling with lose strands of her hair.

"Hmm. Your face is getting red. Are you alright?" The dog demon said as he placed his palm to Rin's forehead. This only furthered Rin's agitation, her heartbeat getting faster.

"N-no, it's probably the lighting of this room or the temperature, it's kind of warm in here, you know" the girl blurted out, feeling even more awkward than before.

"I see. I've heard you are doing quite well in your calligraphy lessons" Sesshomaru felt Rin's uneasiness so simply decided to not play around anymore.

"I suppose". _Gosh, this conversation is so awkward,_ she cringed. Sesshomaru was not used to starting conversations. It was always Rin babbling about her day, telling him all kinds of stories and singing ridiculous songs but recently she barely even talked to him. The dog demon had an idea why he may be at fault for Rin's unwillingness to open up, but he wasn't quite sure as to why she flat out avoided him. He felt the need to address this matter one way or another.

During those few minutes of this complete uncomfortable silence while the yokai lord was deep in considaration, Rin had emptied her cup of tea and was once again reaching for the porcelain teapot for a refill. But when the girl outstretched her hand, Sesshomaru's attention was caught by the few blueish marks on her wrists which were previously hidden by the sleeves of her yukata. Suddenly, the young woman felt a hard grip on her hand.

"My lord, what are you doing?" Rin protested while trying to yank away her wrist from Sesshomaru's strong clench. At that moment, she wanted to hide away from the sheer embarrassment she felt. In her mind, these bruises signified that she was weak, frail and not capable of defending herself.

"Where did you get these from?" the dog demon stood, pulling the girl up with him. Unfortunately, Rin just continued to struggle against him, which only furthered his impatience. The girl simply stared back at him wide-eyed with an annoyed look on her face. _Geez, I have no idea. I guess they just appeared,_ she thought sarcastically.

"Was it Hino Ryu that did this?" Sesshomaru once again snarled with anger while pulling the sleeve up higher to see if there were more injuries. The alcohol he drank before Rin's arrival clearly affected his composure, making him appear a lot more temperamental than usual.

"Of course he was the one. Don't act so surprised, I _know_ you're trying to make me stand down by having Ryu treat me as he does!" Rin slurred with hurt in her eyes and her arm still in her lord's possession.

But seeing more and more bruises emerge from within the folds of her robe, Sesshomaru became even more furious. _That bastard_ , he seethed and felt a boiling rage fuel his instincts. The yokai lord specifically instructed Hino Ryu to avoid harming Rin. Although he did allow the dragon demon to make her training as hard as it would take for her to quit, he did not anticipate that Rin would get injured to this extent.

Just a few moments later Rin noticed her lord's eyes become crimson and abruptly knew that she'd better stop resisting. "Sesshomaru-sama. I'm sorry." The girl lowered her eyes to the ground. He still hadn't released his grip on her, which was now starting to hurt. "T-this won't happen again," she stammered.

Soon enough Rin felt her wrist become free and saw new fresh marks adorn her petite arm. Caressing the raw skin of her hand, she pulled her hand closer to herself and looked away from Sesshomaru. The teenager felt ashamed that her lord saw her vulnerabilities.

"No, forgive me. This… This is my fault." he said softly while stepping one step closer to the young woman. To his surprise, Rin stepped back from him. To Sesshomraru, it seemed like he lost the trust she had in him for all these years. He was, after all, the sole reason Rin was in such a situation. He felt guilt, the so rarely experienced emotion that it felt almost foreign.

Rin's eyes started burning from the hot tears welling up, her lungs felt as if they were filling up with anything but the much needed air and the only thing she could hear was the fast rhythmic beating of her heart. Before long, she turned on her heel and swiftly left the dog demon's chambers.

Clenching his fists, Sesshomaru decided to search for Ryu.

* * *

The sun had set long time ago and the nightly sky was adorned with small sparkly dots scattered all over it like specs of dust. At least that's the view the dragon demon could see from his rooms' large windows. The man sat with his legs crossed wearing nothing except for the dark red hakama pants, his chest completely bare, with dark hair cascading down his broad shoulders. From afar, it might've looked like he was meditating or resting, since he had his eyes closed and was in a rather calm position, but in all actuality, the demon was far from relaxed. Up close, his face held a scowl which was a bit more pronounced than usual and his posture was tense. Suddenly, he opened his eyes revealing golden orbs with snake-like pupils when he felt a hostile aura come close. Just moments later, someone with that same aura shoved open the thin paper shoji doors of Ryu's chambers.

"Ah, Sesshomaru. Isn't it a bit late for chit-chat?" Ryu smirked while the dog demon stood behind him. They never were on the best of terms but the dragon demon was still one of the lord's best war commanders, no matter the nature of their relationship.

"I precisely instructed you _not_ to hurt Rin." The dog yokai started. He was furious and the alcohol surely didn't help him control his emotions. But once again, Ryu acted on his own accord. Even while in battle the dragon would defy Sesshomaru's strict orders which sometimes ended up in the dog demon having to save his ass.

"I hope you do understand, my dear _Lord_ , that some injuries are very much unavoidable. The girl is just a lowly human after all." Hino Ryu turned his head and answered with bitterness in his voice. He was extremely pissed off for having to play around with some sickly human. The dragon felt humiliated so it was only natural for him to rebel against Sesshomaru's commands.

"Just ' _some'_? Her whole body is covered in bruises!" Sesshomaru growled with frustration, blood boiling in his veins and chest moving up and down more rapidly, which Ryu assumed to be out of sheer anger.

"Hmm. Perhaps the girl should be more careful."

"Ryu, don't test me. If this happens again, I will see to it myself that _your_ lineage disappears." The dog yokai threatened, recalling the war that almost made dragon yokai go extinct.

"Sesshomaru, I find it rather interesting how you despised humans with all your being not even a decade ago and yet here you are, menacing me for some measly wench. Say, why do you care so much? _What_ does that girl mean to you?" Ryu wondered with viciousness gleaming in his eyes and lips curling into a snarl.

These words put the yokai lord off, but he was quick enough to regain his composure. "That is none of your concern."

"As you wish, _my_ _Lord_ " the dragon demon said resentfully and glared at the back of Seshomaru's head as he left his dark room.

* * *

The next morning was uneventful. Rin woke up tired since she didn't sleep much from overthinking about the incident with the dog demon and, although the girl felt very washed-out and unmotivated, she still had to go through today's training. The fact that days were getting shorter and the weather colder didn't excite her either. Soon, the young woman managed to force herself out of the warm futon and started getting ready with a constant heaviness on her mind and messy bed-hair.

Reaching the tall hill covered with dewy grass, Rin anxiously looked up to see if her instructor had already arrived and, to her misfortune, Ryu was standing firmly at the very top with a crooked smile, which showed his white fanged teeth in a rather mischievous manner. At this point, the teenager knew that today she was going to get her butt kicked.

"You're late" The dragon yokai stated when Rin was just a few feet away.

"Or maybe you're just early?" The young woman cocked her head to the side, her voice filled with sarcasm.

Hearing this, the dragon demon chuckled with a low rumble "I see you're feeling quite brave today – being as bold as you are. Clearly it's the result of you complaining to Sesshomaru about how you can't even take a single hit and how hard my methods are on you," his eyes suddenly darkened at these last words. "I guess we'll have to go _extra_ easy with this".

Rin was utterly dumbfounded as she knitted her eyebrows together. She didn't ask for any kind of 'special' treatment. _What the hell is he talking about? Did Sesshomaru go to him after we talked?_ "What? I didn't tell on you to Sesshomaru-sama. I didn't even complain! The only thing that happened yesterday was that he saw my bruises and then just lost his shit. Wow, I thought that he was the one who ordered you to make this harder in the first place?" The girl went off moving her hands mid-air with frustration.

"So you're saying Sesshomaru came to me on his own accord?" the yokai observed.

"Clearly" Rin told her instructor truthfully and rolled her eyes.

The information Ryu just received might make him change his opinion about this human. He appreciated honesty and knowing that she wasn't trying to get back at him for treating her like shit, let him see the girl in a different light. _Maybe this girl is not as bad as I thought,_ he mused. But this also proved that Sesshomaru was _way_ too overprotective of her, which indicated that he must hold at least some sort of feelings for this girl. But is he aware of that himself?

"Hmm. Well then, let's start with this. Although I won't make the training easier, I'll try to see to it that you receive less _injuries_. I can't have Sesshomaru breathing on my neck from this bullshit again." The dragon yokai breathed. "Take up your position, we'll do northern shaolin first, then generic combat." He then declared with his monotone teacher-like voice and started the training.

* * *

"Sesshomaru-sama!" a loud screeching voice could be heard throughout the whole fourth floor of the Western palace. The small frog-like imp trotted as fast as he could with his short legs towards his lord's rooms but soon collided into one of the residents just as he was about to reach the shoji door.

"Jaken, dear, you really need to look where you are going." He heard a warm feminine voice. Lifting his head to see who was addressing him in such a disrespectful manner, he saw a pair of brown eyes staring down at him curiously.

"O-ooh, Tomoko, I didn't see you there," the imp shrugged while looking behind her, noting that the woman had just left Sesshomaru's chambers. _Why was this wench disturbing Sesshomaru-sama?_ "I have a very important matter to discuss with my lord! No time to waste!" He squeaked again and ran straight past the fox yokai, barely managing to hold the abundance of letters and scrolls in his weak arms.

"Jaken. What do you want?" The dog demon asked coolly from the desk he sat in. He really didn't feel like dealing with Jaken's nonsense at the moment.

"Uh, Sesshomaru-sama, we have received some news that your eastern borders are under a threat to be invaded." The imp slurred nervously, holding tightly onto the scrolls.

"So I've heard. Is there anything else?" Sesshomaru simply asked, not even sparing a single glance towards his most loyal servant.

"N-no, my lord. But I did bring the documents you required and also a few letters that had just been delivered. I think a few of them are addressed to Rin, so I shall carry them to the girl myself."

"Hn." Was the only response Jaken got. Understanding the indication that he should leave, the imp exited the room, placing the scrolls near one of the large bookshelves while still keeping the paper envelopes that belonged to Rin in his slimy hands.

Sesshomaru, finally alone again, stood from his desk and slowly made his way to the large window. While he was only simply gazing into the distance and enjoying the mountainside view, his attention was soon caught by Rin and Hino Ryu. ' _What does that girl mean to you?'_ the words he heard yesterday so clearly had once again resurfaced in his mind while he watched Rin move gracefully across the training field. The girl was just a ward to him and even though he cared for her quite strongly, he was not going to acknowledge the doubts that his heart has been creating recently. _I won't lose my honor with such stupidity,_ the yokai reassured himself. He won't follow the footsteps of his father. Or so he thought.

Turning away from the glass of the window, the dog demon stared at the stacked-up papers on his wooden desk. One of the scrolls he read over today was from the Commander of the East, owner of the Eastern lands. In the letter, the Commander stated that he would like to unite both kingdoms at some point in the future, which Sesshomaru most definitely won't even consider. The East had no use for him. But there has been some commotion in the eastern lands recently too, and fortunately it was nothing that he, the great Lord of the West, couldn't handle. Usually, such minimal sieges were led by bandits or lowly demons, but it seems like this time, the East itself is trying to initiate a war. Of course, these are just speculations, but the dog yokai was becoming extremely suspicious of commander Seikyo's motives.

* * *

Rin was panting. Hard. Small droplets of sweat covered her forehead and arms, making the girl sparkle in the bright morning sun. Today's training was not what she had expected - Ryu used a lot less force than usually, landing softer hits on the girl's body but the training itself was nowhere to be called easy. Rin was lying on the still wet grass from pure exhaustion but her rest was soon disturbed when a looming shadow made it's way towards her.

"Stand up." The Dragon demon urged and crossed his muscular arms over his chest. "We are done for today and as for tomorrow – rest. You're going to need it." He smirked vigilantly, knowing perfectly about the torture that's awaiting for Rin.

The girl lifted herself up from the ground squinting her brown eyes and groaning from the aching feeling of her every fiber and muscle within being pulled and twitched. "Mhm. As if resting could help me in any way" She mumbled. Although Hino Ryu seemed to act a bit friendlier, Rin still didn't like him all that much.

"Watch your attitude, girl." The yokai pointed out with clear dissatisfaction in his voice. Even though he may have gone easier on this measly girl today, he won't let her show disrespect. He knew she held a certain dislike towards him but she must either deal with it, or be punished. "Now don't waste my time," he turned around and started walking away, letting down his jet black hair, which were held in a tight ponytail, "Having to train you is already a big misfortune."

Rin's eyes narrowed at his wake. _Fuck this guy,_ she mumbled under her breath, hoping he wouldn't hear her words.

* * *

 **AN:** _Please review, I take into consideration every idea that you come up with! Feel free to critique too :)_


	3. Chapter 3

**_AN:_** _Hey fellas! I'm back with another chapter! First of all, I'd like to thank all of you for leaving reviews, they really help me out ;) ! A special thanks to_ _Spirited-PKMN Ranger - I'm really grateful you drew attention to the fact that a lord is below an emperor. Therefore **I changed Emperor Seikyo's title to Commander Seikyo.** Enjoy!_

* * *

 _Rin's eyes narrowed at his wake._ _ **Fuck this guy**_ _, she mumbled under her breath, hoping he wouldn't hear her words._

But of course, he heard her. Loud and clear. Hino Ryu stopped in his track, slowly turning his head over his shoulder to look at the girl who was now standing just a few feet away. Rin's one arm was propped on her hip, her eyes gleaming with resistance underneath her furrowed eyebrows.

Just a few moments later Ryu appeared in front of Rin. His looming stature was more than intimidating since he was a foot taller than the girl. Suddenly, the man raised his clawed hand and with just a single motion was abruptly drawing it down to strike Rin's left cheek. Because of the swiftness of the dragon demon's movements the girl had no time to react except to wait for the hit she was about to receive with scrunched up eyes. But the blow to her face never came.

Rin carefully looked through her squinted eyes and saw something she wasn't expecting at all. Both Rin's and Ryu's eyes widened from shock.

Sesshomaru was gripping Ryu's arm midair, stopping his hand from making contact with Rin's cheek. The blow surely would have left some scaring – Ryu was a demon nonetheless with claws as sharp as knives. If not the scarring, the power Ryu's hand wielded would have fractured Rin's jaw.

Soon, Sesshomaru's deep rumbling voice penetrated the pregnant silence.

"What do you think you're doing?"

The dog yokai was in the large balcony of his chambers when he sensed Ryu's aura flare. Sesshomaru knew this had something to do with Rin. When he turned his golden eyes towards the field in which the girl should be training, he saw the dragon demon stride towards her threateningly. At that exact moment, Sesshomaru felt anger fuel his instincts. _No one_ will harm Rin. Not even a single second was spared when he, without any hesitation, jumped over the railing and with unseen speed caught Ryu's wrist.

The dragon demon had once again defied his lord's commands but that's not what surprised Sesshomaru. The dog yokai didn't even waver when he came to Rin's rescue. He has always prided himself with extreme control of his instincts and emotions but this time Sesshomaru completely gave in.

"I won't let this peasant you brought from no one knows where to disrespect me to this extent." Ryu snarled and pulled his arm out of Sesshomarus grip.

Hearing this, Sesshomaru hauled Ryu closer to his face, strongly clenching the collar of the man's shirt. "If I see _one_ mark on Rin's flesh, I will not hesitate to end your miserable life." The dog yokai threatened with fury and let go of Ryu as if he were just trash. This time he really meant it. Not once had Ryu disobeyed his orders, but this was the last straw.

Dropping just a single glance to Rin who was now sitting on her backside, he saw her widened eyes turn away in shame. _He probably thinks I'm too weak to even stand my own ground,_ the girl told herself.

As Sesshomaru left the field, Ryu gave Rin a burning death-glare. Even she felt kind of sorry for her instructor. No woman should witness a man being treated with such dishonor. Not that she didn't disrespect him herself. At least she did that with secrecy. Well, at least _tried_ to hide her dislike towards him.

Standing up from the ground, Rin's eyes made contact with Ryu's stone-cold stare. _If looks could kill, I would surely be dead by now._ Feeling quite awkward after what had transpired, she decided to apologize.

"I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean this to ha-"

"Hmm. It seems like you simply don't understand." The dragon demon interrupted. "The more you retaliate, the harder it will become." He finished off with a venomous smirk, his golden eyes gleaming darkly in the morning sun.

 _What did I get myself into?!_ Rin could do nothing but blame herself for acting so immature.

* * *

"Rin!" Where is that thick-skulled girl?"Jaken screeched. He wanted to deliver the letters she received so he could be done with. He had more important matters to attend instead of playing delivery boy. Rounding up on one of the castle's corners, the green imp stood in front of the girl's room. Trying to decide whether to knock or enter the room unannounced, the small frog-like looking creature recalled the day he stumbled into Rin's room when she was changing, which earned him a hard kick in the face.

"Eh, Rin, can I come in?" He mumbled.

"H-hai" He heard her voice through the paper thin shoji doors. Sliding them open, he saw Rin laying in her futon, holding some sort of a scroll.

"That woman from Edo who has been disrespecting Lord Sesshomaru wrote you a letter. Oh, and there's another one from that boy Kohaku."

"Really?" The teenager perked up. "Okay, thanks for bringing them to me," she chimed, hearing that she received news from her friends. Watching Jaken waddle out of her room, Rin reached for the white envelopes. Running her fingers over the brim of the envelope, she swiftly opened the letter she received from Kohaku. _I haven't heard from him in ages,_ the girl whispered to herself with agitation.

Skimming her brown eyes over the black ink, she made a toothy grin, her dimpled cheeks rising up.

… _So Sango informed me that Sesshomaru stole you away agan, hope he is treating you well. Anyway, I'm doing really great! I finally received my demon blade from Totosai. It's so big and amazing and cool! You'll have to see it for yourself…_

"Pfft, dorky as always." Rin snickered to herself.

… _I'm not sure if I'll be passing by the Western Lands anytime soon, but if you're ever planning on visiting Edo, let me know and I'll drop by…_

Putting the letter away, she smiled thinking about the boy. He was always cheery and upbeat, even during the cloudiest of days. He always tried to impress Rin with his 'cool' fighting skills, treating her as if a true brother. Putting her thoughts aside, Rin opened the next envelope. This one was from Kagome.

Reading the very pretty handwriting of the girl she could almost call a sister, Rin gasped as she raised her palm to her mouth. Eyes tearing up, she read over and over the same sentence.

… _Rin. You know how much we struggled. But we finally did it. I'm with child! You have no idea how much happiness my heart holds…_

Rin was so glad Kagome could finally create a family. Not once had the young miko expressed Rin her struggles and worries, about not being able to have children with the man she loved. Not once did the girl stumble upon Kagome trying to hide her tears because of her futile efforts to conceive.

… _I wish I could hug you with all my might! Don't forget to visit us too! Kaede misses you dearly, and Sango with Miroku asked when you are coming for a stay. Don't forget about us! …_

"Kagome, I'm so happy for you…" Rin whispered, blinking away the small tears. Although Rin was overjoyed about the changes in Kagome's life, she couldn't help but feel a little bitter. No, she wasn't jealous. Love seemed to be flourishing around her but this made her think if she will ever be able to create a family herself. To have a family when the life she has chosen was like a pledge to stay by her Lords side as long as she lives. Not that she complained – it was all she ever wanted during those years in Edo, and was more than happy to serve her Lord. But sometimes she would feel isolated being in a place in which people didn't accept her. Rin felt lonely during those times when Sesshomaru was away, leaving her behind.

But maybe she could at least see her friends?

Stashing the letters she received in one of the drawers, Rin eagerly stood up with one thought in mind. Ask Sesshomaru if she can visit Edo.

Emerging from her quarters, Rin went out on a mission to seek out Sesshomaru. She wasn't quite sure as to where he might be but maybe Jaken might know?

* * *

As the teenager wandered through the hallways of the huge mansion, she didn't put much thought into where she was going and that resulted in her walking straight into a person.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry I wasn't looking where I was going" Rin blurted out, expecting to receive a long lecture about being incompetent and foolish from the noble she had just bumped into.

"Rin?" She heard a familiar voice. Raising her eyes upwards, she saw that the noble she so stupidly stumbled into was, in fact, Tomoko who was smiling down at her. "Rin, it's so good I've found you. Are you busy right now?" she said cheerily.

"Um… Well not in particular," Rin said, biting her lip.

"That's great. Do you mind joining me today? I've been _soo_ bored lately and I could really use some company." The fox demon said hopefully, batting her long dark lashes and making a slight pout. "We could explore the castle if you'd like." It was clear that Tomoko was trying to temp Rin into joining her.

"I'm not sure there's all that much left to explore for me" Rin laughed. "But yeah, okay."

"Oh you have _no idea_ how much you haven't seen. _"_ Tomoko smirked, taking Rin by her wrist and leading her away, which earned quite a few glances from both nobles and servants standing in the halls.

* * *

"See that woman over there, the one clad in a blue kimono?" Tomoko murmured as quietly as possible while pointing her long finger towards the person she was talking about through a gap in a wall while slightly crouching in a small tunnel behind it.

"The one with a tail?" Rin whispered. She and Tomoko had been roaming the castle for hours now. Turns out, Rin truly knew nothing about this oversized place. The fox demon showed Rin just a speck of the many secret passages and hidden corridors. And currently, they were hiding in one of them. Of course, not everyone knew about these secret halls, maybe just a handful of people who had been residing here for years. Exploring every nook and cranny of this palace was more than interesting to Rin. Some of the secret passages were so old and forgotten, that the two women even managed to find some remains of demons who lived here hundreds, maybe a thousand of years ago.

"Rin, almost all of them have tails. I'm talking about the one who's standing by the window, talking to general Shin." Tomoko tried to hold in her laughter.

"Ooh, yeah, I see her."

"That's Izumi. A few years back she requested our Lord Sesshomaru to become one of his concubines, but he didn't want to have someone as sinuous as her in his bed, "The fox demon explained. Not only did the women roam the palace's hidden halls, but also spied on some of the nobles. Tomoko basically explained Rin how things are being run here. Some nobles had more influence than others but in the end they all were ruled by Sesshomaru.

"Wait. What?" _Concubines?!_ "What do you mean by 'one 'of his concubines?" Rin whispered loudly, clearly confused by what she just heard.

"Huh? Didn't you know that Sesshomaru has a harem?" Tomoko blurted out.

"Um… No?" the human girl furrowed her brows and turned her head towards the fox yokai. As her heartbeat increasing ever so slightly, Rin sensed a faint feeling of jealousy creeping its way into her mind.

"There's _**so**_ much you don't know" was all Rin heard when her hand got grabbed once again and she was dragged deeper into the dark, damp tunnel.

* * *

The sun had already set and glimpses of bright stars were already creeping into the nightly sky. Although Rin had agreed to come to Sesshomaru's chambers once the sun was down, he wasn't expecting her this time. At some point during the day, Tomoko asked if Rin can skip their 'meeting' and at that moment he didn't think much of it and obliged.

But as the day passed, Rin was invading his thoughts more and more.

The question Hino Ryu asked him just yesterday, the way he didn't even hesitate when it came to rescuing her or just simply having the girl in his company. Why did he feel less in control when she was around?

As Sesshomaru was lying on his raised futon, long silver hair spread around his head like a halo, he thought about the effect this human had on him. This girl… was plaguing his mind. Wasn't he a lord and she - just a ward? Closing his amber eyes, he tried to escape these thoughts with sleep. But the long awaited slumber never came.

Turning on his side and propping his head up with his hand, he looked at the door of his bedroom. Maybe he could ease his mind if he released his frustration _on_ someone _?_ Lips curving up into a smirk, the lord rose from his futon and left his chambers. _I guess I won't sleep tonight._

* * *

"I'M LATE!" Rin jerked awake in her futon, her hair a complete mess and a bit of saliva on her cheek. Still drowsy, the girl frantically looked around her room, her gaze being caught by the warm sun rays shining through the wooden-framed windows. _Wait. There's no training today._

"Hell yeah,"She murmured, fist pumping to herself.

Taking her slightly wet pillow into her hands, she turned on her side and closed her eyes once more.

A few hours later, Rin was woken up by the sound of someone rustling in her room. Blinking away the sleep from her eyes, she propped herself up on her elbows and noticed a maid shuffling around, lifting up various items and putting them away. "Mako? What are you doing?" Rin yawned.

"Sorry for waking you up but I had to tidy this place up a bit," The scaly maid smiled, her green eyes gleaming in the sunlight and nose crinkling up a bit.

"No, it's alright. Honestly you don't have to do this, I can finish up myself." The young woman stretched her arms up, climbing out of her futon.

"Oh but it is my job. I have been assigned to you." Mako said matter-of-factly and continued cleaning the small dust on all kinds of surfaces and reorganizing Rin's belongings.

While the maid was busying herself with chores, Rin was scanning the room for something to wear, thinking about her plans for today. _I still have to ask Sesshomaru about Edo,_ she reminded herself.

As if reading Rin's thoughts, the maid began to speak "By the way, Jaken has asked me to inform you, that Lord Sesshomaru won't be expecting you today. It seems like there has been some commotion near the Eastern borders and our Lord with a few of his generals had gone to patrol the area."

"Well that certainly ruins my today's plans," Rin mumbled under her breath, earning her a confused look from Mako.

* * *

A serpent-like noble that has been teaching Rin calligraphy lessons was giving her a boring lecture on how to act more _ladylike_. An area Rin clearly lacked in with both her language and manners.

"It has come to my attention that you are using your vulgar language to address some of the court officials. And that just won't do." The yokai expressed.

"Are you sure you're in the position to be saying that?" Rin sighed, barely managing to stay awake from the boredom.

"What are you inclining, _girl_?" The serpent demon narrowed her eyes, swiftly folding the fan she held with one hand.

Rin breathed out as if it was obvious and mustered "I've heard you complain to other nobles how our Lord could even think of harboring a human as 'slow-witted and incompetent' as me."

The woman froze with wide eyes and her cheeks getting slightly warmer. "W-were you spying on me?" She accused the teenager, pointing the folded fan at her.

"It's hard not to notice." Rin simply responded, staring through the window and not caring showing any interest in the noblewoman's babbling about how rude the teenager was acting. But suddenly an idea dawned on her. Sesshomaru wasn't anywhere near the castle, nor his generals and most of his warriors. Jaken too was probably busy with trivial matters, meaning that there was no one to restrict her from going outside the mansion's territory. Smirking inwardly at this revelation, Rin simply waited for the lesson to end, trying to pay as much attention as possible so that the serpent yokai wouldn't complain again

* * *

Covered by a dark robe, the girl sneakily made her way towards the royal stables. The stables looked less like a place for horses and more like a large house - tall ceiling and beautifully ornamented wooden walls with red panels. Even the wealthiest of human nobles could not think of devoting such a beautifully constructed building to mere animals. As Rin crept her way inside, she noted the abundance of stalls and horses, who were now aware of the girl's presence. The sound of whining and nicking swept across each stall like a wave. But one stall in particular caught the girl's eye. There, in the right corner of the building was a certain, very familiar dragon. It's stall was much bigger than any of the other residing animals', showing that the creature to whom this stall belonged was more than important. The teenager almost instantly appeared in front of the stall and gasped with a wide smile, her eyes twinkling with adoration.

"Ah-Un,"Rin's silvery voice echoed. The two-headed dragon bobbed it's head up and down, sniffing her palm as she ruffled the mane of one the heads with her free hand. "I'm happy to see you too. But I won't be taking you with me today." Rin mustered and turned her head to see which horse might suit her best.

The abundant choice did not hinder her from making a swift decision. After all, she needed to move quick in order to stay unnoticed - even though at the moment there weren't any guards placed around the building, it didn't mean they won't appear. Noticing a black mare just a few stalls away, the girl made her way towards the horse. The animal didn't seem frightened or agitated, on the contrary - it reached it's snout towards Rin, sniffing at her robe, clearly showing curiosity. The mare most likely had never been approached by a human.

Rin took the reins of the black horse and slowly lead the animal out of the stables. Placing one foot into the stirrup, the girl easily hoisted herself onto the saddle and sat up proudly. _I've still got it_ , she grinned with satisfaction.

As she held tightly onto the reins, the teenager urged the horse forward by gently squeezing the mare's sides. "That's right." She encouraged the animal and guided it towards the woods.

Once the horse was galloping closer and closer to the 'forbbiden' forest, Rin felt her thoughts wander about. She had missed this feeling of being free. The teenager thought that by choosing Sesshomaru she will be able to roam the territories of Japan together with him, but instead, she ended up being held within the castle's walls. But although this was not what she had expected, Rin was still satisfied with how things had turned out. She got to train and be by her Lord's side. Maybe one day, when she's strong enough, he'll let her join him in his patrols. _Maybe._

* * *

"So, do you think commander Seikyo is pioneering this siege?" Shin's deep growling voice cut through the silence. The general looked over the laid out map on the table as he was stroking his grey shaggy beard.

"Doubtful. He knows that these miniscule attacks can be easily dealt with. Although there is a possibility he might be planning something." Sesshomaru responded, not sparing a single glance to the general, his expression utterly blank and unfathomable.

"What is the plan then?" General Shin asked once more, not too happy with the news.

"I suggest we wait for the invasion and then simply destroy them. Easy as that." Hino Ryu motioned nonchalantly, turning away from the map.

Pacing around the large tent, Shin was starting to lose his patience. "But won't we address the fact that Seikyo is threatening the West?! Sesshomaru, there have been rumors that _you_ are growing weaker from the same illness your father had – infatuation with a human. When others see that you are harboring a weak creature, they can't help but think that you too have become soft."

"What does Rin have to do with anything?" the dog demon snapped his head towards the old man. If he were someone else, the inuyokai would decapitate him for such disrespect in just a blink of an eye. But this old fool had served his father years before Sesshomaru was even born. He will spare him. For now.

"The girl is making you appear weak." General shin stated, crossing his arms on his chest.

While the old man was trying to get on Sesshomaru's nerves, Ryu simply observed the dog demon. He noted that Sesshomaru becomes extremely defensive when it comes to Rin. _Maybe Shin is right,_ the dragon yokai pondered.

"Do you think I, Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, would stoop myself so low as to get involved with a human?" the yokai smirked darkly. "My, my, it seems it's becoming harder and harder to get the respect I deserve" he suddenly finished coldly, face void of any emotion.

Both Shin and Ryu noticed Sesshomaru's aura flare ever so slightly as if to show the sheer dominance and power. Although this didn't affect Ryu by one bit, Shin felt himself shiver.

The short quarrel was swiflty ended when an armor clad warrior came stumbling into the tent, notifying Sesshomaru and both of his generals that an attack had just begun. While Shin snarled with anger, the dog yokai simply left the tent while Ryu was still sneering delightfully. _Finally some action,_ Ryu thought, moving his claw through his raven hair.

Stepping out of the makeshift shelter, Sesshomaru breathed in the cold damp air from the fog that was brought by the malevolent wind howling past him. He noticed a hostile mob in the distance, quickly approaching the area they were residing in. Looking around at his men- a few hundreds of skilled yokai warriors- he had no doubt that the victory would soon be his. Seeing that the time to strike was about right, the dog demon drew out his trusted Bakusaiga from its ornamented sheathe and strode his way forward, Ryu and Shin close behind him.

The dragon yokai cracked his knuckles as the corners of his mouth lifted up into a vigilant smile. Reaching back with his hand to the blade that he was carrying on his shoulder, he unsheathed a curved, extremely sharp sword and clutched it by his side with thirsty energy. The image of what had happened years ago flashed through his mind, further fueling his lust to kill. As the enemy got closer to the western border, Sesshomaru's warriors began to move, clearly eager to destroy their enemy and please their lord.

Sounds of clinking swords, gruesome slashes and growls could be heard for miles as the tall grass was getting soaked with fresh blood. Shin, the general that had served the West since Sesshomaru's father, cut through the bodies of his foes while holding his blade firmly in his callous hands. The air was becoming hazy, a red mist thrown up from the sheer of blood that was spilt.

The lord himself gracefully wielded his weapon from above, spreading destruction and death just by a single blow of his Bakusaiga. Even though it was not necessary for him to participate in such a battle, he could not refuse himself such entertainment. Strangled screams of despair and the metallic taste of blood were overpowering, the feeling of adrenaline rushing in his veins. They were slaughtering them like sheep.

* * *

In the forest, Rin was trotting with her black horse alongside an old path. Brown decaying leaves were scrunching beneath the mare's hooves as the girl was taking in her surroundings. Large oak and maple trees on both sides of the road created a dense wall, wind whistling by when crossing through their thick branches.

As the teenager slowed down the horse's pace, she noticed a deer not too far from her, shuffling between the leaves. _This will make great practice for me,_ she smiled. Stopping the mare, Rin slowly reached for her throwing knife, trying to make as less noise as possible. _Okay, stay calm now. I can do this._ Firmly grasping the small blade, the teenager raised her hand and with one quick exhale released it from her fingers, slinging it towards the animal. Suddenly, the deer jerked its head up towards Rin as a loud 'thud' was heard on a nearby tree, the agile animal swiftly running off deeper into the woods.

 _Goddamn it. I missed,_ the teenager sighed. Deciding to not give up just yet, Rin urged the mare to follow the deer into the dense forest. Moving faster and faster, Rin rhythmically bounced on the horse's back trying to catch up with her pray.

"Come on, we can make it!" Rin encouraged her companion. Nearing the deer, she once again made her aim towards the quick animal, except this time while in motion. Holding tightly onto the reins with one hand, she threw the sharpened knife with the other. As if slicing through air, the small blade made a whistling sound until it hit it's determined target, her prey falling to the ground upon contact.

"Yes!" The girl exhaled loudly with triumph, jumping off the saddle. But as she confidently made her way towards the deer, Rin started to feel regret. The animal was struggling to stay alive, clearly suffering. Crouching down near its body, Rin took out her dagger from its neck, murmuring a soft "I'm sorry" and quickly shoving the blade into the temple, trying to put the poor creature out of its misery. _This certainly wasn't worth your life._

After she completed the task she bestowed upon herself, the girl noticed that the sun was already beginning to set.

"We better head back before anyone notices that I'm gone" she said aloud. She straddled the black horse once again and started trudging back towards the path she originally came from. Unfortunately, Rin was not aware that she wasn't alone anymore.

A loud crack from behind made the girl halt. Turning her head over her shoulder, Rin felt her heartbeat quicken and body shudder. A hideous, gigantic ogre-like creature stood just a few yards away, breathing heavily at the sight of her.

"It seems I've found myself a late night snack" He bared his crooked, fanged teeth, stepping a bit closer towards Rin.

Deciding not to try her chances, Rin squeezed the sides of her mare in an attempt to run, but the horse just didn't budge. "Why are you stopping? Go!" Rin urged the horse, yanking the reins harder.

The ogre was even closer now and grinned widely, saliva coming out from the sides of his mouth, vile stench reaching Rin's keen nose. "Mmm… I can already smell how _ripe_ you are"

Giving her last attempt to move the horse, Rin suddenly felt the mare stand up on it's hind legs, throwing her down from its back. Completely stunned by what was transpiring, the girl landed on the cold, hard ground as the animal ran off into the clearing. _Damn it!_ She cussed, still shocked from what just had happened.

Seeing this, the ogre yokai filled the air with his snarling laughter, causing Rin goosebumps from the sheer disgust she felt. "You have nowhere to run, little girl."

"Don't underestimate me" she breathed, masking her face with a glare. _Maybe if he sees im not intimidated.._. But her eyes and body betrayed her. Her heart was beating too quick. She was afraid. But Rin still had two throwing knives left on her. Maybe, just maybe, she could fight this thing.

Hearing this, the ogre growled and lunged forward, reaching his hands forward and trying to grab the girl but Rin swiftly rolled to the side, evading the grasp of his sharp claws. She could hear the rapid beating of her heart in her eardrums, the rush of adrenaline sharpening her senses.

As the creature launched itself again, Rin retracted a dagger from the folds of her kosode. She held tightly onto the small knife she used on the deer, and, when the ogre was close enough, Rin pierced his side with the sharp object, causing the warm, dark red fluid to stain her robes and hands. Breathing heavily, she tried standing up. But the fight wasn't over just yet.

The ogre sprung to life and grabbed her leg with his razor-sharp claws, puncturing her skin and draining blood. "Filthy useless human woman!" he growled viciously, pulling Rin towards himself as she barely managed to breathe a squeal.

* * *

"We easily claimed victory!" Shin cheered, clapping his hands together, while back at the tent. "Shall we celebrate, my Lord?"

"No." Sesshomaru answered plainly. "I and Ryu are heading back, you are to stay here and keep watch until further notice." He turned around and started making his way out.  
"B-but my Lord…" the general tried to protest. There was nothing left to do here since the enemy's army was completely destroyed. No one would even dare to come near the border with all the butchered bodies on display.

 _Minging drunk,_ Ryu thought to himself as he followed Sesshomaru outside. Shin has always been a keen admirer of alcohol and always tried to find an excuse to enjoy the delicious sake of the West.

* * *

Sesshomaru was crossing over his fertile and rich lands in his true demon form, white lush fur surrounding his massive body and strong legs making wide strides in the air. The cool evening breeze was more than welcome, caressing his frame after the exhausting fight.

Strangely enough, the dog demon still felt an urge to hunt. _Guess the bloodlust from the battle hasn't been clenched just yet,_ he thought to himself wickedly and started descending into the forest not too far from the palace. The force of his oversized paws crumbled and splintered a number of trees, sounds of destruction echoing for miles on end and flocks of birds fleeing from their homes from the hard landing. Standing up tall and proud, tongue slightly poking out of his dangerous jaws, Sesshomaru took a huge whiff of air, trying to determine just who might be his prey for tonight.

Suddenly, the large dog's ears perked up. He could smell blood from a doe and an eerily familiar but faint scent of it's killer. The smell bothered him, as if it shouldn't belong in the forest at all. It reminded him of home, flowers and… _Rin._ It finally dawned on him. _What is_ _ **she**_ _doing here?_ His nostrils flared. Turning around towards the direction her scent was most noticeable, Sesshomaru started to stride with long leaps. But he was taken aback when the sweet fragrance of wild flowers was replaced by that of blood. _Her_ blood. Instincts kicking in and heartbeat becoming faster, the dog yokai dashed towards his human, bulldozing his way through the dense forest.

Going deeper into the woods and nearing the source of her scent Sesshomaru felt hostile youki coming from the same direction. _A yokai?_ He questioned. _Why didn't I feel it's youki before?_ This knowledge only made him more worried. Picking up on his pace, Sesshomaru approached a small clearing and saw something that made his blood boil. The markings on his muzzle becoming even more jagged and vision clouding up, the yokai lord felt himself slip. Rin, with blood all over her frame, was pinned down by a huge ogre. As Sesshomaru's animalistic instincts took control, he leaped into the clearing and raggedly sank his sharp teeth into it's form, pulling it away from the girl. But to his surprise, the ogre was already dead, blood smearing his snout. A knife was shoved into it's chest, killing the ogre instantly. Spitting out the disgusting creature, he looked at Rin who was now questioning her lord's appearance with her gaze.

"My Lord?" She whispered unsurely.

Rin watched the dog demon surround himself with white energy as he shifted back into his humanoid form. Walking up to her while still being able to smell Rin's blood, a liquid which never bothered him before but was now making him feel uneasy, he crouched down to Rin's eye level, searching her eyes. The girl's face was smeared with blood.

"Where are you hurt?"

"I- it scratched my leg, that's all." She offered a smile, trying to hide the fact that it actually hurt. _He's not mad?_

Turning his gaze to her leg, he saw a deep gash on the girl's left shin. With an annoyed look on his face, Sesshomru growled, "What were you thinking, Rin? Why are **_you_** out here at all?!"

 _Nevermind,_ Rin sighed inwardly.

"My Lord, as you can see, I am fine - I can still walk, I'm not dead either." Rin huffed, turning her eyes towards her first kill.

"Rin. **Why** are you here?" Sesshomaru demanded again, his patience running low.

"Because I wanted to. Because you never let me join you on your patrols. Because I'm always left alone. There are many reasons." She turned to him, her eyes full of emotion. Her gaze was seeking for any clue of emotion in face, masked with neutrality

He didn't know how to answer her, as if his mind became completely blank. _Did she feel abandoned?_

"…Rin," He started, "... I don't want you wandering off again. Even _if_ you're capable of defending yourself, you can still get hurt," he finished as he lightly moved his fingers over her injured shin.

All of a sudden Rin felt Sesshomaru's strong arms wrap around her fragile body as she was effortlessly lifted up.

"My Lord!" The girl yelped in surprise.

"Even if you believe you're strong to stand your own ground in a battle," he said ironically, lips slightly curling into smirk "Keep in mind that I am your sole protector. _Rely on me_." Sesshomaru finished with a ghost of a smile, a smile that was only ever meant for her eyes.

Feeling her cheeks getting warm, Rin placed her head close to his chest. The way he was holding her, the rhythmic beating of his heart and his soft stride soothed her mind. She always felt safe in his arms. _His_ arms.

* * *

 **AN:** _Chapter 3 done! Tell me what you think !_


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN:**_ _Hey, I'm back with another chapter! Although it's a lot shorter than usual, I hope you'll enjoy it. Also, I apologise for the **major** delay :( my life got pretty hectic and I was dealing with a considerable writter's block for this exact episode, but occasional reviews did actually motivate me to continue. Either way, have fun reading!_

* * *

It was already late into the evening when a prickly pain shot up Rin's left leg, jerking her awake. Opening her eyes, she saw an indistinct silhouette of a woman kneeling by her side. Since the room in which she was placed was barely lit by a lantern and a few candles, the girl's vision had to adjust to the dim lighting at first.

"I thought it would wake you up. Don't worry though, it will only hurt for a few more moments until I'm finished. " The woman spoke, her warm calming voice filling up the silent room.

"Did Sesshomaru-sama bring me here?" Rin asked groggily, slightly wincing from the needle puncturing her skin once more, while trying to look up at the lady, balancing her upper body on her elbows.

"Indeed, he did. I'm not sure as to how you got injured, I can only assume from this wound that you were attacked, but Lord Sesshomaru was quite rushed at finding you a healer. Humans are such weak creatures I might say.." She sighed overdramatically.

From hearing those last words, Rin took a closer look to the woman helping her. She didn't look spectacular and didn't have any distinctive traits – she had long dark hair just like Rin, dark brown eyes, which were extremely common amongst humans, and appeared to be in her early 30's. But the way this woman addressed Rin's kind as 'weak' was an obvious sign that she wasn't human. But then, as the strange woman lifted her hand to move a strand of her dark hair behind her ear, Rin learned that she was, in fact, correct about her prediction. She was a yokai, and her ears, just like the ones Sesshomaru and most demons in this castle had, were pointed.

The yokai looked up at Rin and noticed her curious glance. „Since there are no human settlements in our Lord's estate, he had to _resort_ to someone from the palace. I'm Hama, by the way. One of the castle's physicians."

"Thank you, Hama- sama." Rin smiled while trying to at least slightly bow her head to show gratitude.

"I'm not so sure you should be thanking me, since I'm doing this out of obligation. Sesshomaru- sama came to me, telling that if I don't fix you up properly, he will have my head," She chuckled, obviously finding this situation humorous.

"Well that doesn't sound welcoming." Rin mustered, letting down her eyes in attempt to hide her embarrassment. _Could this get any more awkward?_ She sighed inwardly.

As the last stitches were put in, the stinging pain ended, but just for a moment. "You better bite down on something because this will _hurt._ " Hama said as she took a white cloth, pouring some alcohol on it and then, without any hesitation, pressed the soaked fabric on Rin's closed up wound, causing the girl to yelp.

"That was not fun at all" Rin exhaled and looked down at her leg, her eyebrows faintly furrowed from the unpleasant stinging.

"The worse is over." The physician gave Rin a sincere smile and started bandaging up her shin. „ Although your injury is not that serious or fatal in any way, the wound is deep enough to damage your muscles and alter your movements when walking. It will take at least a week for it to somewhat heal but I advise you not to participate in any form of training for at least three weeks or so."

Rin did nothing but nodded, groaning internally and blaming herself for ending up bedridden for a week.

"I won't attend to all of your needs, but I will occasionally check up on you," Hama pointed out as she lifted herself from one of the tatami mats, placed by Rin's futon.

"Either way, thank you." The girl said, watching as Hama blew out most of the candles and picked up the lantern. "I hope I didn't inconvenience you too much… And goodnight."

"Likewise. Try not to mess up my work on your leg." The woman nodded and left the room, closing the wooden shoji doors behind her.

After a few minutes of silence, Rin reached for the remaining candles and blew them out, leaving the quarters in complete darkness. Soon enough, she was dozing off.

* * *

A week has passed since and Rin was already bothered out of her mind. During that time, Rin, if she didn't have any more lectures for the day, mostly spent her time with Tomoko or occasionally her maid Mako. But her evenings, as promised, were dedicated to Sesshomaru. Although he didn't let her walk or move too much during the first few days, she just couldn't stay still for too long. And right now, Rin was casually lounging in Sessomaru's study while he was trying to read the monthly border patrol report, just a few feet away from her.

"Rin."

"Huh?" She turned her head, her bangs falling across her forehead in a messy manner. Ever since that day, when Sesshomaru brought her back to the palace, her mind was more clouded with thoughts she shouldn't have, feelings that were foreign and most likely forbidden.

"Stop fidgeting." he said as he exhaled, not lifting his eyes off of the scroll.

"…I'm not."

"Is there something bothering you?"

But Rin didn't answer. Sesshomaru turned his head towards the girl and gazed at her form. She was lying on one of the tatami mats on her stomach, legs raised and swaying up and down.

Not even a second had passed when suddenly Rin felt Sesshomaru's hand wrapping around her ankles, stopping the swinging movement of her legs.

"You should be more considerate of your injuries." He quietly pointed out, sitting down near the girl.

Rin looked at him from her position, and hoisted herself up so she could be more or less at his eye level.

Even though she never actually had such thoughts of her Lord before, she couldn't help but admire Sesshomaru's features. His porcelain white skin, bright golden eyes, which to some might appear cold and empty, but to Rin they seemed warm and expecting. The magenta markings on his prominent cheekbones and the crescent moon on his forehead proved that the blood of a strong daiyokai was pulsing in his veins. Lost in these thoughts, she noticed her lord's lips move, but she couldn't hear his words.

"What?" She woke up from her daze.

Sesshomaru looked at the girl curiously. She seemed more absentminded than usual.

"If you do not wish to stay in my company, you may leave."

"No!.. No, I meant, um..," Rin stuttered, before starting again, "I do enjoy spending my evenings with you, but these past few days were completely dull. And even now, when I am by your side, you're busy with other matters, which I do understand, but…" She turned her head towards the window, avoiding to look in his eyes.

"You got yourself into this situation for disregarding my orders. What in god's name told you leave the estate without anyone's knowledge and completely unaccompanied?" Sesshomaru scoffed at Rin's absurdity, turning his gaze back down at the documents in his hand.

"Because I feel as if I am locked in this place. Every noble, every servant is looking down on me for being human. The only solace is _you_ , my Lord. But you're away most of the time." She let out a long sigh of longing, lowering her head into the tatami mat while trying not to tear up.

"Rin…" the yokai lord reached for her cheek, turning her face so he would see her. "I was not aware that this is how you feel. I only wish to protect you – outside the walls of my palace there are numbers of predators and foul creatures seeking to disturb the balance I have created for the inhabitants of the estate. Nothing would upset me more than seeing you getting hurt by those degenerates." Sesshomaru finished with a snarl and a vile taste in his mouth, clearly displeased by the thoughts that sprung into his head. His eyes had a fiery look to them as he turned away from the girl.

A hint of a small smile played at the corners of Rin's rosy lips while she looked out of the window once again in an attempt to hide her amusement. _Even though Sesshomaru-sama would never admit to it, he is almost as temperamental as Inuyasha,_ she thought.

"Even so," Rin began, "it would be lovely to be able to wander outside the walls once in a while or so, even if it's with supervision. Actually, I've been meaning to ask you-"

"No." Sesshomaru cut her off.

"You didn't even hear me out!" She protested, sitting upright and looking at Sesshomaru.

The daiyokai exhaled and turned his head towards Rin. "What is it that you want then?"

"I want to visit Edo." The girl stated matter-of-factly.

Sesshomaru knew this request would come sooner or later. Placing a palm near his temple as if from a headache, he stated "Your leg hasn't even healed and yet you require for such a bothersome journey."

"I'm not saying we need to go tomorrow, or next week. I'm just asking you to let me see Kagome, Kaede and others…" Rin uttered, her face clearly showing expectation.

"Hn." Was all that Rin heard when she was swiftly lifted up by his arms again. "It's getting late, you should go to sleep." The demon lord voiced as he stood up with Rin holding on to him. Throughout the week this manner of Rin being carried by him became just another technicality since the girl couldn't walk freely, but even so, Rin blushed every time she was held.

But unbeknownst to the girl in his arms, the daiyokai would also feel at times frustrated from the foreign emotions, which were causing him turmoil in both his heart and mind. Not knowing the meaning of these feelings caused him even more confusion and the great Lord of the West was not used to such perplexity. Sesshomaru often questioned himself if it's a lesser form of lust or desire, but he would swiftly bring such thoughts to naught. _I am not my father_ , he assured himself.

Reaching Rin's quarters, he slid open the shoji doors and carried her inside. The room was submerged in darkness, which was only a mere obstacle against the demon man's exceptional eyesight.

"You can put me down now, my Lord." Rin said in a whisper, as if afraid to break the tranquil silence.

Sesshomaru carefully placed the girl on her futon, considerate of her left shin. "I will tell Hama to check up on you later," the yokai voiced tonelessly while running his clawed fingertips along her leg, causing the girl gooseflesh. "See you tomorrow." He finished and got up to leave.

"Wait-" Rin grabbed his wrist, causing Sesshomaru to stop abruptly.

"What is it?" If it weren't so dark, Rin could see him raising an eyebrow. He was anticipating something important, but it was soon forgotten when he heard Rin's request.

"Could you please um… bring me a glass of water?" She said in the sweetest tone possible, blinking her eyes. She knew he was able to see her expression.

Sesshomaru sighed and walked to a short-legged table, placed near one of the large windows, and filled her cup with water from a pitcher. Walking back to the girl, he thought, _Why is the great Lord of the West acting as a servant to a human girl?_ He stopped short of reaching her futon. Sesshomaru placed the porcelain cup on the ground a few feet away from her and stood up. "Goodnight" he said huskily and smirked, leaving Rin in her room with a frown.

"Well that was not very nice at all." She muttered, stretching her arm out as far as possible towards the liquid so she wouldn't have to leave her warm sheets.

Soon, a lantern appeared in Rin's room and she heard Hama's voice. "It's time to see how you're holding up, darling."

After the bandages were removed, the physician inspected the moderately healed up wound. "I believe it's healed enough for you to move around again." She stated and nodded at Rin.

A smile crept onto the girl's face. _Finally._

 _ **AN:**_ _Don't forget to review :) They do help out quite a bit lol. Also I have a lot of ideas for the upcoming chapters, but I'm still not quite sure how to put them together. Hopefully the next chapter will come out in 2 weeks or so :))_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Stretching her arms as far as possible in an attempt to reach her toes, Rin basked in the morning sun. Even though she could not train yet as her shin had not been completely healed, the girl tried to, at the very least, keep her body flexible. The paper thin doors of her room were easily penetrated by the cool late autumn breeze and it was clear that the girl's quarters were not at all suited for colder weather. Underneath heavy blankets Rin did not feel the stinging cold, but as soon as she was left bare and the cool air engulfed her body, she shivered.

"When did it get so cold?" She lamented, once again hiding herself under a blanket.

It was still far too early for anyone to disturb her peace and so she was left to enjoy herself for a few more moments of serenity.

But the mansion was not as quiet as Rin had thought. Even though it was still barely dawn, every servant was hustling and bustling: gardeners, cooks, maids and even guards were unusually busy with assigned tasks. If one was to listen carefully, the cacophonous ring of tapping, shuffling and Jaken's squawks would be clearly heard within the halls of the mansion. Even Rin was destined to be included in this commotion, as she heard fast paced footsteps nearing her room.

Two knocks on the wooden frame of the shoji were just for the appearance of civility – Rin didn't even get an opportunity to answer when Mako opened the door.

"Morning, dear," The tall, slit-eyed yokai closed the door behind her as she entered, noticing the much cooler air in the room, "Isn't it a tad too frosty for you?"

"It's not, until I have to leave my futon…" Rin tried to make sense while yawning.

"Hmm, I'll have to ask for a carpenter to tackle that issue. Us demons don't really have any problems with the cold season, for obvious reasons." Mako bantered on, opening up the curtains to let in more light.

"Us humans don't usually deal with frostbites either, as we are more than adequate in architectural aspects of building a decent, heat isolating structure." Rin replied wittily, a smug grin adorning her lips.

"Humans can be so presumptuous sometimes…" The maid frowned, feigning annoyance.

"Mako, I'm the only human you know." The teenager stated, her voice showing amusement. Such conversations always tended to brighten even the gloomiest of days.

"Then I maintain you are the most daring human to set foot in this palace." She scoffed and peeled of the thick blanket covering Rin's body. "In exactly one week, delegates from all over Japan will visit. The whole mansion will most likely be overcrowded with all sorts of individuals. Lady Chizue said she needs to speak with you about certain aspects of your… etiquette."

"Wait, isn't Sesshomaru-sama supposed attend this assembly too?" Rin voiced, clearly dreading the day of their arrival while completely disregarding the light complaint from Mako.

"Of course he will. He has only gone for a few days to fetch someone from one of his northern borders." Mako answered, her chin resting on one hand as if deep in thought. "Now, rise. We don't have all day."

* * *

The area was swathed in a chilly mist, but with every passing moment, the landscape was changing more and more and the dewy moisture filled air was becoming clearer, the soil drier and the sun brighter. He could taste the salt in the air, as it started to burn his lungs slightly with every breath. Once Sesshomaru leaped over a mountain ridge, an everlasting sea appeared in the horizon with granite peaks protruding on each side like decaying teeth, which were covered by shrubs, seedlings, moss and pine trees, but just beyond the ridges of these mountainous peaks, yokai life was omnipresent. Sesshomaru let the salt-filled wind ravage his senses for a few minutes before he could pick up the scent of the person he was looking for. And so he continued his quest heading along the guzzling water.

The striking appearance of this dog yokai couldn't fool anyone. Just a single glance at him made it obvious that this man was no simpleton. The markings on his sharp cheekbones and the crescent moon on his brow were his birthright to power. Therefore anyone who dared to cross path of this magnificent demon could not do anything but bow their head from both fear and respect.

Once the guards have 'granted' Sesshomaru access to the large estate (not that they had any other choice), that was precisely how he was greeted when he arrived to the Maizuru castle. Even though this place was to be considered the most northern outpost of the Western lands, it functioned as a completely separate state - It had both a ruler and subordinates but even then they were under Sesshomaru's reign. One glance at the newcomer was enough for all of the inhabitants to bow their heads, but soon enough he heard the voice he has been seeking to find.

"Lord Sesshomaru! What brings you here on this beautiful day?" a soldier clad in armor strode in, his voice resonating from the room's walls. Just before he reached Sesshomaru, he removed the heavy embroidered helmet from his head, revealing his face. This man looked very much like the yokai lord himself – he too had piercing golden eyes and sharp features which, when combined, made him look rather godly. His tall stature and broad shoulders showed off his warrior-like physique. An untrained eye might think that these two demons are at the very least close relatives as the other man only lacked in markings, but in reality, they were as different as fire and water. While Sesshomaru could be described both as stoic and intimidating, the soldier was charismatic and heartwarming.

"Takeo." Sesshomaru said flatly. "Has my messenger not reached Maizuru for I had to take it upon myself to retrieve you?" The intensity of the yokai Lord's glare could burn a hole in Takeo's skull, but the ambitious soldier was familiar with Sesshomaru's imperturbable ways.

"With all due respect, my Lord, but no one has come by with any reports or information from the palace for the past 6 weeks or so." Takeo responded, his voice modulated. "But by all means, my Lord, you must be fatigued from traveling all this way to Maizuru. May you wish to discuss this in the meeting room after repose, I will see to it myself immediately" the soldier gave Sesshomaru an assuring smile.

"I do not wish to waste time in inadequate ways" The yokai lord said lowly. This was really getting on his nerves. Not only did he have to waste his all day traveling here, but also his general seemed to be keen on participating in unnecessary activities.

"Then we go to the meeting room right away, my Lord." Takeo extended his right hand towards the large hallway and slightly bent down his torso.

Sesshomaru didn't even spare a glance at Takeo as he made his way towards the meeting room.

This castle, or more correctly mansion, was far more traditional than the Western palace. The former was smaller, but still spoke of splendor. The wooden flooring, thin, widely ornamented shoji frames and raised wooden engawas were omnipresent in this estate. While the Western palace had most of these architectural characteristics, it clearly portrayed much more luxury and authority. But even so, Maizuru provided a feeling of both security and tranquility. _Rin would enjoy this place_ , Sesshomaru thought to himself.

The meeting room, just like in the Western palace, had a dais and tatami mats placed orderly on the wooden floorboards. Sesshomaru took a seat with finesse on the raised platform, his legs crossed, while Takeo leaned on a wooden pillar not too far from his superior.

"I intend to return to the palace by the end of tomorrow - I expect you to prepare accordingly."

"May I ask what for, Sesshomaru?" Takeo inclined his head curiously. When alone, he often dropped Sesshomaru's honorific – they were away from the public's eye so it was unnecessary. Even though Sesshomaru would never admit to it, Takeo was almost like a friend to him. Only behind closed doors, of course.

"It's regarding the East. On its own the East is barely a threat but I have received new intell that requires a council meeting" Sesshomaru replied rather nonchalantly as he ran his clawed fingers through his silver locks.

"A council meeting? I have heard that they had been searching for allies. I have a feeling we might have a war on our noses…?" Takeo hummed and shifted his position, placing the heavy helmet on a high table to his right.

"War with the East is unlikely. I doubt Seikyo is that senseless"

"But even so, we need to be more cautious." The other yokai nodded and stood up straight, taking his helmet back into his hands. It seemed like he always had this piece of armor with him. "When will the meeting be held?"

"In 7 weeks of time."

* * *

It was late afternoon, and as most of the mansion's elite was enjoying the last days of autumn, Ryu was slowly walking down the path of the old library with Tomoko by his side. Even though they were rarely seen together in public, no one questioned their close proximity. It was only natural for them to display some amount of sentiment.

"You are the most audacious woman I have known in my entire existence," the dragon yokai scoffed at Tomoko's attempt to impress him, "Only you would devise something as preposterous as this."

"I'll take that as a compliment." She chirped and gracefully skipped a few steps forward, appearing in front of him and not letting Ryu move forward. "Don't be such a grumpy old man." She spoke softly, her brown eyes looking up at him charmingly.

"Tsk." He rolled his eyes, turning his head away to hide the slight smile making its way onto his lips. Hino Ryu had to admit, sometimes Tomoko could get the best of him. "What am I ever going to do with you…" He said as he curled his arm around her waist, gently leading her toward the wooden patio.

But this interaction was not left unseen by the curious gaze of the newest addition of the Western palace. Rin, as many others, was enjoying the last warm sun rays of the year when she spotted her friend Tomoko with none other than the merciless dragon yokai. Dozens of thoughts and scenarios started springing into mind of the young teenage girl, but the most prominent continuously reappeared in the back of her mind. _Is she his mistress?_ Rin speculated. _How could someone as merry as Tomoko_ _ **ever**_ _put up with Ryu's hostility? Unbelievable!_

Rin's facial expression clearly showed that she was beyond flabbergasted. But it was not long before she returned to her neutral observant stature. The garden was full of prying eyes: noblemen, high-ranking officials, over-dressed women and servants were all omnipresent. During her time in the palace, the girl often thought about trying to fit in with the general population, but the cold judging gaze of these highborn demons seemed more than unwelcome. Most didn't even spare their time to acknowledge her presence, some looked at her with mild interest, as if she were an exotic animal, and some showed clear disgust, their harsh comments often reaching her human ears. But the girl learned to live with it. Rin kept her head high at all times, which did earn her some respect from a small amount of the castle's elite. And it caught the interest of Kamaye, a young yokai soldier of higher rank.

The man was standing by the large oak tree, securing the perimeter even within the walls while watching the young human woman going about her day. As there was nothing interesting to partake in while on shift besides protecting the estate from the enemy, it was always entertaining to observe the girl.

Rin was just passing through the very same oak tree when Kamaye saw an opportunity to rid of his boredom.

"Kind maiden, may I know your name?" He tried to sound as polite as possible even though everyone in the castle most likely already knew who she was – a human among yokai - how preposterous!

Rin turned around and warily looked up and down at the man in question. He was wearing light armor that had the West's symbols so it was clear to her that he was a guard. His black hair, tied into a high ponytail, amber-colored eyes and pointed ears seemed like the only indicators that he was not human.

"Um… Rin. My name is Rin." She said calmly and slightly bowed her head in greeting. _I hope I didn't do anything wrong… Why would a guard approach me?_ She thought with unease, slightly fidgeting with the sleeve of her kimono.

"It is pleasant to meet you, Rin. I am Kamaye." He smiled warmly at her. "I wanted to ask if you wouldn't mind keeping me company for an hour? I find you rather... peculiar. And I'm in need to be saved from boredom."

"That wasn't something I expected to hear. Especially from a guard." Rin raised her eyebrows and gave him a crooked grin, still unsure of how she should feel about this. _Should I? I don't really have much to do this day. He does seem kindhearted…_ "I am in favor of this idea, Kamaye. What shall we do?" she said as she took a few steps closer to him.

"Maybe take a walk in the garden? They say walking is like discovery. On foot we take the time to see things whole." Kamaye hummed and reached out his hand to Rin, inviting her.

She unsurely placed her hand in his palm, only then noticing the sharp claws crowning his fingertips. _Just like Lord Sesshomaru's_ , she mused. "Ah, truly. But forgive me for being curious, what kind of yokai are you?"

"Only the best out there" He puffed out his chest in such a ridiculous way Rin couldn't help but giggle.

"Oh, I wholeheartedly believe you. I bet you're so powerful that you will…" She neared to his pointed ear and whispered, her breath tickling his neck, "… _secretly overthrow Sesshomaru's rule._ "

After such an exchange, they both stopped in their tracks and Kamaye, in all seriousness, turned to face Rin and spoke: "Lady Rin, are you aware that such talk is treason against our Lord?"

But before she could even answer, both of them started chuckling. Rin covered up her mouth with her kimono sleeve, as Chizue had many times advised, while he put on display his sharp fangs, his laughter thick and warm.

The teenager found his company enjoyable, but even so, she felt as if something was lacking. The feeling was distant and vague, but always taunted her.

The sun started to set early as wintertime was approaching soon.

* * *

She wished it was like any ordinary day. It was her second week training after the injury and Hino Ryu seemed intent on breaking her. Apparently, according to her instructor, during the recovery process she slacked off too much and now lost the little amount of skill she had. Maybe that was the reason this particular day of combat training was harder than usual? But it hardly looked so.

"I cannot condone your lack of effort. You think this is a game?" He grunted, swiftly appearing behind her and knocking Rin of her feet with his leg. Once again she was on the ground with a dull ache in her backside.

"I _**am**_ giving effort. I have been, for the past 6 months!" the girl retorted. She looked at him from beneath her lashes, her sulky mood radiating off her body. _I think I have found the key to happiness – stay away from assholes_ , she thought.

"Up." Ryu took a wide stance and crossed his arms over his bare chest. The days were getting colder and coder, but it didn't seem to bother him. He was of fire dragon kin after all – the fire within himwas what made him stronger than most yokai.

"Wait-" the girl barely opened her mouth to protest, but was soon cut off.

"I said _**up.**_ " Ryu ordered once again. His patience was wearing thin by now.

And so she listened. Rin exhaled deeply and stood up. Looking around her surroundings in order to get her orientation in check, she took in the length and width of the field, noted the few larger trees not too far from her – _maybe I could use them to my advantage…_ – then felt the cold wet grass beneath her feet and the crisp air surrounding her. _Let's not mess up again, alright?_ She told herself, trying to calm both her heart and mind.

Rin gave Ryu a nod and took the same wide stance her instructor had. Seeing that the girl once again was ready for another round of debacle, the dragon yokai started slowly circling her, trying to devise a trick he hadn't used on her yet. She seemed to be concentrated on Ryu's graceful and calculated steps and her eyes glistened with determination. He'd never show it, but he had to admit that times like this Rin did manage to get an ounce of respect from him.

In just a split of a second he sprung into action. His face, usually unchanging as if it were covered by a mask, surprised Rin with a malicious grin. Ryu suddenly appeared just a few feet away from her, thanks to his inhuman speed. "Afraid yet?" his smooth husky voice filled the silence.

But as he raised his arm in an attempt to bring Rin down to her knees, she saw an opportunity to dodge. Sliding her body under his raised arm, she appeared behind him, "Are you?" she said, still not daring to celebrate her small victory.

Rin quickly brought one of her hands to his neck and the other reached for his elbow, bending it behind his back, and pushed Ryu down onto his knees. Feeling as if this weren't enough to fix him in place, the girl pressed her knee joint into his spine, making her instructor immobile. _Not that bad after all, huh?_ She smirked, obviously satisfied with herself.

"Not bad. But don't expect your enemy to not _**retaliate**_." He said as he swung his head back knocked Rin off of himself. This was enough to hinder Rin for just a few moments. The girl jumped to her feet off of the wet grass and narrowed her eyes at Ryu.

"You're not being fair" she voiced, removing the thin haori her shoulders and dropping it on the ground. Small droplets of sweat covered her bare shoulders and neck – even if the weather was chilly, the physical activity really worked her up.

"Nothing will be fair in a real fight, little girl" he smirked, eyeing Rin's form. Her hakama made her look rather boyish. Not quite the look a woman of her standing should seek for.

Not giving the girl a chance to catch her breath, Ryu dashed towards Rin, completely catching her off-guard. Before she even got the chance to react, she was being held in the same position she had Ryu down in just moments before.

"Now think." He uttered in a whisper near her ear.

Rin's heartbeat started to race just as fast as her mind. I _need…to catch… my breath…,_ she lamented to herself, a few strands of hair falling on her face. Rin wouldn't stoop so low as to use the same tasteless tactic Ryu had so she had only a second to get out of this situation.

Her one hand being completely free, she swung her bent elbow back as hard as she could into the space behind her and luckily managed to hit Ryu's torso. After a low grunt, she felt the locked arm on her throat loosen, and so she took the opportunity to turn around and push him onto the ground. But by doing so, Rin lost her balance and fell on Ryu, straddling his frame, her face just inches away from his.

Ryu stared into the hazel orbs in front of his eyes, noticing the girl's cheeks redden from embarrassment. Seeing as to how he could use this compromising position to his advantage, the dragon yokai simply brought her closer to his chest by pushing her towards himself with his knee.

 _Wait -what the hell is he doing!_? Rin widened her eyes, slight panic settling into her mind. Trying to stand herself up from him, she suddenly felt a kick to her torso as Ryu kicked her off from himself.

Sometime during the training they neared the end of the field where trees were growing like a territory-marking fence. Therefore it wasn't surprising that when Rin was thrown into the distance, she hit a tree bole.

The lack of satisfaction on Ryu's face was an obvious sign that something was wrong. Rin sounded a faint lament and soon her vision started to blur.

The yokai bolted to the large tree, alarmed by the girl's indisposed state. "Rin," he lifted her from the ground and started carrying her further into the field, where tree roots wouldn't hinder him from laying the girl on the much softer grass.

The girl's vision was coming in and out, a slight ringing noise in her ears and a metallic tinge on her taste buds. She could hear Ryu's muffled voice calling to her, but the pain in her side couldn't let her concentrate on anything.

As soon as Ryu placed her on the dewy grass, Rin started coughing, speckles of blood staining her lips. "Rin. Tell me, what's wrong?" As weird as it may be, she had never thought she'd hear Ryu's voice laced with concern.

"I'm… fine" She breathed and hoisted herself off the ground on her elbows. Unfortunately, this change of position induced an overwhelming amount of pain, causing a yelp escape her mouth and a wince to form on her face.

"Fool, you're clearly injured," Hino Ryu barked, running out of patience. _Damn this girl!_

Seeing how she wasn't doing all that great, Rin decided to comply and hissed through her clenched teeth, "Ribs. My ribs hurt. _A lot_ "

 _I must've broken her bone,_ Ryu frowned at his revelations. "Come," he said as he put his arms around her fragile frame. "I need to bring you to the palace".

While being carried in Ryu's arms, the girl's conscience was fading in and out _,_ her thoughts trying to make sense of what was happening to her. _Did I really just manage to hurt myself_ _ **again**_ _?_ _My lord will be displeased… Will he see me like this?_

* * *

Sesshomaru had just reached his Western estate. The whole ordeal was quite annoying, really. Having to go all the way to Maizuru just to fetch Takeo was an inadequate use of his time. Especially when there are much more serious matters awaiting him at the palace.

The sun was illuminating the vast grassy fields of the West which were surrounded by mountains and Sesshomaru stopped in his track for a single moment. Even for someone who has lived for centuries the smell of their own homeland was sentimental. The yokai lord deeply inhaled, the cool air filling his hungry lungs. The scent of the forest, mountain snow and a nearby spring abused his senses. But this was short-lived. His eyes shot open and he looked at the direction of the field that Rin and his general usually occupied during her training sessions. They weren't there. But the minute sickening smell of _her_ blood was unmistakable. Sesshomaru followed the trail of her scent from the field, rather bothered by the fact that Hino Ryu was accompanying her. _That sadist definitely had a hand in this,_ Sesshomaru snarled.

He backtracked his general and the girl to the palace, his anxious mind calmed by the revelation that Rin was in her room joined by a physician. "...Either way… y _ou are... lucky to not have completely broken her ribs, she would've ended up with a punctured lung. "_ Sesshomaru heard Hama speak as he neared towards the door. _A broken rib..?_ The dog yokai frowned, getting more upset by the second. He swiftly slid the shoji open, the wooden frames of the door loudly snapping into each other.

"Oh, Lord Sesshomaru!" Hama squeaked, her eyes wide. She was leaning over the futon on which Rin was placed when Sesshomaru entered. She hadn't sensed him to be so close by, _Tsk! He probably overheard me._

Ryu looked at Sesshomaru from the corner of his eye, barely acknowledging his presence. He seemed to be concentrating on Rin for whatever reason.

"What is this?" His low, monotone voice filled the entire room. He appeared to be calm, but the eerie aura coming off of him made Hama shiver. Fully entering the room, the dog yokai made his way towards Rin.

"…I broke her." Ryu said quietly, not peeling his eyes off the girl.

Sesshomaru looked over the girl, trying to understand what was wrong. Her breathing was shallow, her hair was matted from sweat as she was burning up. The dog demon was not a patient man. But for what he lacked in patience he compensated with control. His inner yokai was begging to be released, but Sesshomaru was still in full control. This time his voice was rough, more demanding, "How?"

" 'Tis does not matter, Lord Sesshomaru. The girl has a fractured rib and damaged lung tissue, hence the blood. She also hit her head pretty hard." Hama tried to turn Sesshomaru's attention to a more serious matter –Rin's health. She really didn't want to be in the epicenter of this up and coming conflict. _Ryu is ruined…_ She sighed, hoping for the best outcome.

"I said. How." Sesshomaru roared, his eyes on the brink of turning crimson, a snarl clear on his face. But then Ryu turned to him and walked up to the yokai lord. "I slung her into a tree." His general said plainly, looking straight into Sesshomaru's burning glare. _Simple as that._

"You _**dare**_?"

But the hostile atmosphere in the room was soon broken, "…My Lord… Don't…" A fatigued voice caught their attention and Sesshomaru felt a small hand grasping his wrist.

Ryu has never been this… surprised? His face contorted in confusion as he looked at the broken teenager. For someone, who he has treated with disrespect and lack of care, to show forgiveness was unfathomable. He truly despised humans. He mistreated Rin _because_ of her humanity, although the girl was barely at fault for this. But even then she was remissive.

"I think it is best you both leave, Sesshomaru-sama. I need to tend to her injuries." Hama spoke softly, clasping her hands on her obi.

Sesshomaru turned his glare to Hama and then looked back at Hino Ryu. He said lowly, "Leave."

A quiet clink of the wooden doors resonated in the room, making it apparent that Ryu has left.

Understanding this as a way of saying that Sesshomaru will stay, Hama directed all of her attention to the girl on the futon. It seemed like the pain was rather strong as the girl was fading in and out of consciousness. Sesshomaru merely stared at Rin, unknown thoughts clouding his mind.

"Rin, Can you hear me?" The physician said as she leaned over the girl, placing her hand on her forehead.

"..Mmhm." She murmured.

Hama looked back at Sesshomaru, his eyes meeting hers for just a fraction of a second. He struck her as completely calm and emotionless, watching them as if from curiosity. The physician, seeing as to how her Lord will not leave the room whatsoever, simply proceeded to slowly shred the girl's upper garment and bindings, exposing her chest and bruised ribs.

Sesshomaru was NOT expecting that. His mind was telling him to look away, but his eyes stayed locked on Rin, hungrily looking over her exposed body. Her ivory skin around her ribcage had dark purple marks, making Sesshomaru clench his fists as he felt a jab of anger. _This,_ he thought with distaste in his mouth, _is what he did to Rin?_

The yokai woman still didn't know how she felt about the whole situation of Sesshomaru staying in the room, while she carefully ran her sharp fingernails along the bone, trying to find the fracture. It wasn't her place to suggest him otherwise, so she kept her mind to herself.

The yokai Lord took a step closer, sparing a glance at the girl's face. As she barely opened her eyelids, hazel met molten gold and her body went numb. If her condition allowed it, her cheeks would turn 50 shades of red. _Why is he still here?!_ Her mind screamed, but she was too tired to turn her head. She simply closed her eyes again, trying to force her mind into thinking about something else.

"It's not as bad as I expected," the dark-haired yokai hummed. "She will need pain subduing medicine and bandages. May I excuse myself to fetch them, my Lord?" Hama looked over at Sesshomaru who's eyes still haven't left Rin's face.

"You may."

Once the woman left the premises, Sesshomaru kneeled by Rin. He looked over at her ribs again, disillusioned by her humanity. _She is so… fragile._ His gaze slowly traveled upward to the soft mounds of flesh atop her chest and he suddenly felt a pang of guilt in his chest. He turned his gaze away in realization. At the corner of her futon was a neatly folded blanket, most likely the one she used for sleeping. He slowly reached over the girl, taking the soft fabric into his arms.

Rin noticed something cover her whole body as the person beside her shifted. Some of the tension left her body and she exhaled. "How are you feeling?" A husky voice that could belong only to one person inquired.

"Could be better." She rasped. A hand reached for her forehead and pushed her bangs out of her face.

"Hn."

They hung in silence till Hama returned. Before she began bandaging Rin up, Sesshomaru excused himself and went to his study. He'll deal with Ryu later.

* * *

" _ **Do you have someone to protect? "**_ The words his father had spoken to him centuries ago were taunting him for the twentieth time that day. He was numb. He felt both frozen and on fire. His inner turmoil was manifesting itself in an annoying headache to say the least. _I do not walk the path of my father!_ He seethed in his thoughts and pushed off a stack of scrolls from his desk.

Rin has been plaguing his mind for days on end and just when he had thought it was over, he had to see her get broken yet _again._ Nonetheless, he _**saw**_ _more_ than he intended: _from the nape of her neck, to the curve of her-_ _No._ _I will not degrade myself to such lengths. I am_ _ **not**_ _my father._ He repeated this phrase like a chant to himself, trying to will his mind into believing as he ran his sharp claws through his silver hair.

This was irritating him to new extremes. Sesshomaru stood up from his chair and went to the balcony of his study room, gazing into the distance. _I need to clear my head,_ he thought as he jumped over the balustrades, not even a least bit concerned about the high drop – the balcony room was 3 stories high! His landing was graceful, almost cat-like and Sesshomaru turned his step towards the nearby forest, his inner yokai seeking for release.

His true form was, to say the least, magnificent. His father had always been known to have been the largest Taiyokai of the millennium, but during the 3 centuries after his death a lot has changed. Sesshomaru, the most powerful daiyokai there was, had surely surpassed his father's power.

His transformation was swift and flowed like liquid, his fangs elongating and jagged lines adorning his jaws. The crescent moon on his brow proved his royal heritage to the world. There he stood, a powerful dog demon with poison dripping from his muzzle.

Once in his true form, Sesshomaru was not bothered by unnecessary and time-consuming thoughts. He only listened to his instinct – hunting. Although he still was able to think properly, his thoughts were more segmented. Therefore a hunt in his yokai form often helped to come to a much needed decision, exerted his inner yokai and his tamed thoughts.

As Sesshomaru drove into the forest, his body bulldozing its way through the thick tree line, his mind still came back to the image of Rin.

Was he to succumb to these desires...

What would it feel like to introduce her to the delightful _pleasures of the flesh_?

… to _taste_ her... to feel _her_ delicate body writhing beneath him...

A deep growl escaped Sesshomaru's throat, alarming a few flocks of birds in the woods around him. _I must not._ He cursed the thorns in his heart. He was now running even faster now, the scent of nearby deer catching his attention.

He knew what his soul wanted, what it _needed_ , but his pride could not allow it. And so he cursed his father, he cursed his pride, himself even. He damned Rin's _humanity_.

 **He found his prey. A herd of deer was passing by a nearby spring.**

Would Rin return his feelings?

 **He stalked towards the group of animals, careful to not give himself away, his mouth snarling.**

He had to admit, he was acting selfish. Only thinking about his own interests proved him to be lacking care.

 **As he pounced the unsuspecting animal, the ground beneath him trembled from the sheer weight of his large form. He lifted the deer with his strong jaw, clenching it's weak body.**

Would she be willing to sacrifice her life to someone who is not capable of aging with her? He was frozen - unmoving and unchanging as time passed by.

 **Sharp canines of the inuyokai pierced through the flesh of the animal, it's blood seeping through its dying body, staining Sesshomaru's white fur.**

Would Rin herself choose a life by him, where she would be looked down upon for the very same reason he is in question of his values?

 **Another deer fell victim to his unrelenting hunger, it's brittle bones crunching between his sharp teeth.**

Would she give herself, her innocence, to a _demon_? In human eyes there was no turning back after bedding a yokai.

Would he want such a life on her?

 **The life-force of one more animal has been taken. His thirst was clenched.**

With all of this in mind, three things were obvious to him.

One – he desired a human. He desired Rin.

Two - he will not act on it.

And three. _This_ was tearing him apart.

 **The massive dog raised his head towards the sky, piercing the calm night with his painful howl**.

* * *

 **AN:** hey guys, I'm back with a new chapter. I know, I'm very inconsistent and ain't gonna make up an excuse. I was dealing with a pretty bad writter's block. Still not sure if anyone is going to be reading this ! :o

Have a good one.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** _see the end of the chapter for notes._

* * *

Chapter 6

Above the girl's sleeping form stood a man. His harsh golden eyes were roaming over her face, searching for any flicker of emotion. But alas, she was sleeping and nothing but her soft breathing and the flutter of her heart could decipher that she was alive. The room was deeply permeated by the young woman's scent, enveloping everything in it's wake.

"For someone so trifling you undoubtedly left proof of your existence," The man quietly scoffed, "And yet, you're still so fragile. A simple snap of my fingers, a meaningless flick of my wrist could bring the end to your _short_ life." The girl slightly stirred in her sleep and the man swiftly took a step back, hiding himself in the shadows of her room. Once he was sure she was still asleep, he continued his musings.

"To think that a daiyokai as great as Sesshomaru would care for such a nimble creature is beyond absurd. And yet…" He once again moved closer to her futon and lowered himself onto one knee.

"I have treated you… with less than a civilized manner. I put your already fragile life at risk. Even then, you showed - compassion. Foolish human." He ran his hand through the silky strands of her hair and murmured ever so quietly, "I must say, I underestimated you. I am sorry."

Hino Ryu rose to his feet as he sensed Sesshomaru's aura reach the mansion. Sparing another glance at Rin, he silently reached for the shoji and left the room without any trace.

* * *

Tomoko cursed under her breath. "Why did you have to be so rough with her? Are you dense?" She was pacing the room frantically, her hand reaching for her temple.

"It was an _accident._ What's done is done." Ryu groaned and reached for his leather boot, yanking it off from his foot very ungracefully. "Besides, the physician said the girl will be fine."

The kitsune yokai sighed, "Rin might be fine, but _you_ – not so much. You know how Lord Sesshomaru is. I wouldn't be surprised if you get banished or decapitated."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye as he removed the second boot and stood up. Tomoko was far too busy thinking of much worse scenarios to notice Hino Ryu slowly stalking her from behind.

The woman jumped when she suddenly felt his strong arms encircling her waist, drawing her close to his bare chest, her whole body still stiff from the unexpected conact.

"If I get banished, wife, you get to join me." He huskily breathed into her neck, taking in her scent. "But it won't come to that."

The woman escaped his grasp and turned to face him. "Believe me, it will. Lord Sesshomaru cares a great deal for the human girl." Her face was holding a frown as she crossed her arms on her chest. Tomoko was clearly cross about Ryu not caring about this situation. "Did you at least express your regret? As in make an apology?"

Ryu's shoulders tensed for a mere second before he voiced, "yes." The dragon yokai walked away from the woman to the large futon and slumped down. "Come to bed. I'm tired."

Tomoko narrowed her brown eyes in suspicion, staring daggers into his back. _Liar._

* * *

The main shiro was not only a home for highborn demons but also a political gathering point. Most important meetings were held in the beautifully built meeting halls supplied with raised dais for only the most respected and important yokai. A morning assembly was held every four days or so in order to deal with the Western land's residents' affairs. As the chairman of these meetings, Sesshomaru always had the final say in the way of things. But the inuyokai lord only recently overtook his mother's position as the chairperson – till then, he was too occupied with conquering distant lands and expanding his rule. So these bothersome meetings were less than interesting to him.

That might've been the reason why on this particular morning Lord Sesshomaru was rather bothered. The dog demon was proudly sitting on the raised platform, his head held high and gaze cool and deadly. As the other members started filling the hall, they looked over at their ruler with awe and wary.

Sesshomaru looked unusually intimidating – his long silver hair was held up in a high ponytail, revealing the magenta markings on his cheeks. The end of his ponytail was elegantly curled over his shoulder, the snowy hair ends beautifully contrasting with his black haori. _He looks remarkably like his late father,_ Shin noted, taking in his lord's appearance.

The meeting was about to begin- the members were already seated and all that was left to do was for the few servants to leave the hall. But then, Hino Ryu, one of Sesshomaru's generals, entered the large room. Sesshomaru looked down at the man, his displeasure smoothing into a haughty mask of neutrality as he gazed at the dragon yokai.

"Ryu," Sesshomaru growled with an authoritative tone, "Leave."

Ryu slowly turned his head towards Sesshomaru, his eyes narrowed at the sudden declaration. " _Lord_ Sesshomaru" he spat out, "Care to bestow me with an explanation as to why?" Ryu's voice echoed off the walls in the quarters, all eyes of the assembly members on him. Dismissal from an assembly was disgraceful on its own accord. But to be forced out in public was just beyond contempt.

"Those who disregard _this Sesshomaru's_ orders hold no worth to me." The yokai lord said indifferently, his face as void of any emotion as ever. But inwardly he smugly smirked, _you should've known your place, dragon._

Soft whispers broke the deathly silence as other members and attendees started seeking for an explanation for Ryu's dismissal.

"Sesshomaru-sama, but Hino Ryu is your general" Takeo leaned towards his lord and whispered, concern lacing his features.

"Sesshomaru-" the dragon yokai started, but was soon cut off.

Sesshomaru decided to allow the audience to see the slightest curve of his lip and roared, his powerful and booming voice vibrating through the wooden floor and panels "Truly a pity I must do this in front of others"

Jaken, who was sitting nearest to the exit and was closest to Ryu, knew where this must've been going. After long years of servitude to the great dog demon, he knew his master well. Although his lord's emotions were usually hard to decipher, it was clear that Lord Sesshomaru was going to tear down Ryu's pride. And so he quietly squawked "Fool! Leave at once! Or our most honorable Lord Sesshomaru wil-" But it was too late.

"You're stripped of your title Ryu. You're a disgrace to your kind. Now leave."

The assembly fell deathly silent. The dragon lord looked over the people present and his eyes met Sesshomaru's cold glare. Ryu felt angry. He felt dishonored. He felt so much spite. But even so, he still had his pride intact.

His vengeful eyes sparkled with defiance, but Ryu simply smiled and bowed his head. "As you wish, My Lord."

The assembly was uneventful even with Ryu's dismissal. The council meeting with every Sesshomaru's general, his allies and a few rulers from more distant lands was still to come.

The yokai lord sat poised on the dais, barely listening to Shin's report from the northerners. Koga's wolf tribe was of north, but he too was under a ruler, an ancient wolf demon who was apparently wary of Seikyo's rule.

"I will be leaving the Western lands in two weeks time. Takeo will take over the preparations for the council till my return." Sesshomaru's monotone voice interrupted Shin's ramblings.

"Er-, Lord Sesshomaru, you won't attend the council?" Takeo jerked from his seated position and snapped to look at his superior.

"The council is in _six weeks_ you imbecile." One inuyokai breathed.

"Takeo, when will you cease to amaze us with your stupidity?" Shin's raspy voice croaked and he laughed, slapping his large hand on the short – legged table in front of him.

" **Silence** " Sesshomaru hissed. He was clearly not in a mood for mindless banter."Takeo, am I understood?"

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama." He bowed his head. He too sensed his lord's poor spirits and made a swift decision to just simply comply without any questions.

"Good. You are dismissed." The yokai lord stood up and made his way out of the large hall, leaving the other members to deal with less impotrant matters. They can obviously handle

* * *

He was striding down the hallway of the shiro, absentmindedly making his way towards his own room. The fact that he had to entertain these bothersome 'nobles' with unnecessary meetings was beyond absurd. His mother was definitely much better suited for such affairs. _Perhaps_ , he mused, _I should appoint her to deal with this nonsense after all._

His train of thought was soon interrupted by the lingering scent of a human. It was faint, the girl must've passed this hall some time ago. _Was she again wandering about_ _again_ _? She clearly shouldn't – she's still healing from the injury._

And so Sesshomaru followed the trail to her room. Rin's scent was obviously very human, but for some particular reason _it_ never bothered him. Humans were filthy, weak creatures, their settlements had always reeked of smoke, sweat and illness. But Rin was different. During their travels, he noted, Rin held the faded scent of flowers, fields, forests and rain. And for some cause, even when she had resided in that human village, it had always remained that way.

His thought's returned to the young woman again. He hadn't visited her since _that_ night. Sesshomaru felt as if he should avoid her, this sickly fascination was very unbecoming of him. But then again, _a simple visit won't do harm._

He reached her room and knocked on the wooden frame of the shoji. Soon, he heard the rustle of fabric and tapping of small feet coming closer and becoming more distinct.

The thin door slid open and Sesshomaru was met with brilliant hazel eyes looking up at him.

"Oh, Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin gasped, her expression questioning his sudden presence, but soon her face was filled with wonder as she took in her lord's appearance.

The morning sun reflected in his slanted deep eyes, his gaze piercing her very being. His long hair was still held high up, which she didn't think she ever saw him wear in such a manner. With his hair put up like that, the sharpness of his features was much more pronounced - his markings stood bare on his acute cheekbones, framing his face. The pale skin looked almost snow-white against his black clothing.

"Rin." Sesshomaru's deep voice woke her up from this marginal stupor and she quickly realized, to her embarassment that she was staring at him like some feeble lamb. The girl felt her blood rush to her face, fire igniting under her skin, and looked down at her feet.

But the Lord of the West was also in a sort of a daze. He just stood there, taking in her every aspect. The color of her cheeks, smoothness of her skin, darkness of her hair, the light green color of her kosode. Unlike Rin though, his trance took only a mere moment.

"I didn't expect you to visit, my Lord. Do you want to come in?" She looked at him expectantly and bit on her lower lip, moving aside to leave space for entering.

"Hnnn." He strode past her, his head held high as always. The room was nicely illuminated by the morning sun, its rays bouncing off the walls playfully, hitting every nook and cranny. It was as if the atmosphere matched Rin's personality. As he moved through the room, the sun hit his eyes again and his inhuman, slit pupils dilated in response.

"I was going to have tea with Mako, but, I suppose, you can substitute her for the moment." Rin said nonchalantly as she slid the shoji closed behind her. "She should be here soon."

"Do as you see fit." He sighed and sat down on one of the tatami mats. He decided he could indulge, for a short while, to be in the girl's company. After all, he hadn't seen her in a few days.

"Sesshomaru-sama, did you decide to pay me a visit because Jaken-sama annoyed you beyond comprehension?" Rin's light voice filled the room as she too took a seat by her lord. It was so often that the girl tried to converse with the dog demon without any response from him. But this fact never hindered her from expressing her silly musings or sarcastic comments.

Sesshomaru merely raised his eyebrow at this question but said nothing as it was unlike him to join in on pointless banter.

"I jest." She said finally, her eyes gleaming with the smallest trace of glee.

"Ha." The yokai voiced sarcastically, but the girl was pleased with such an answer either way. She would be contended with just about anything from her lord, but even she noticed the lack of morale in his responses. _He must be upset about something..._ _again._

The teenager was smoothing out the wrinkles of her kosode, trying to occupy her fingers, as she looked up at him, "Did you - have a meeting today already?" she asked softly.

"Indeed. It was, as always, highly bothersome." _And pointless,_ Sesshomaru thought to himself. At least Takeo will overtake this duty for a few weeks during his absence.

"If _I_ were to attend it, those meetings would be a lot more entertaining" Rin hummed with a ghost of a mirthless smile, imagining herself being in such a high position. _As if that would ever happen._

"The members would be most terrified" Sesshomaru smirked ever so slightly and looked over the girl. To him, she seemed unusually melancholy, not her giddy and bright self – her smiles lasted only a short while and she continuously just glimpsed up at him for just a second as if afraid he will notice her gaze. But of course he did. Nothing ever got past him. And so his own smile faded and hid behing a mask of stone.

Rin shifted uncomfortably in her spot and started fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.

Sesshomaru was contemplating something. He had to travel eastward before the council meeting and his journey will take a few days. But— the location of his point of interest was not too far from the village of Edo. _Should I..? After all, while I seek for Naoshige, Rin could theoretically reside in Edo. Stay there for a few days until I am finished. That would satisfy her, would it not?_ He asked himself with uncertainty.

The yokai's voice cut through the silence, quickly bringing Rin's attention to him.

"Are you well enough to travel?"

Rin's eyes widened,"I believe so. I can walk freely now. Will I be joining you, my Lord?" she modulated, her voice ever so slightly careful.

"We shall visit Edo then." Sesshomaru simply breathed and tried to read the girl's emotion. _Was she pleased?_

Mako finally appeared with a tray of hot tea and two cups and eyed Rin's guest warily, but none of them seemed to acknowledge her presence.

" _Really_!?" Rin squealed, painting a ray of sunshine over her face.

Sesshomaru hummed, trying to hide his own grin. Finally, that smile of hers. He enjoyed when she smiled like that. When her eyes sparkled with joy and excitement like that. Seeing her happy made him want to ensure she could be carefree and joyous all the time.

"Sesshomaru-sama, Rin is the most grateful!" She reverted to her old way of referring to herself as she rose from the tatami just so she could give him a bow to show gratitude.

"Now now, Rin" Mako said, placing a tray of tea on a short-legged table by them. "Don't lose your head over something." Her motherly voice sometimes irked the girl.

"But Mako – I haven't been to Edo in almost a year! I will get a chance to see Kagome, Kaede, Inuya…" She trailed off, remembering that Sesshomaru didn't like Inuyasha's name being mentioned in his presence.

"A year? That's not that long" The maid scoffed, making her way towards the door.

"It is, to me" Sesshomaru heard Rin mumble and yet again he was reminded of her extremely short lifespan. Never in a century would he have believed seeing himself cursing a human's mortality.

Once the maid left the room, only the tinkling of a metal spoon against the delicate porcelain of Rin's cup could be heard. Just mere feet away from her, Sesshomaru appeared to be in a daze as if he were looking right through her into the space beyond. The man seemed to be deep in thought and even to Rin he felt like an enigma. But besides that, she was beyond pleased and the small smile adorning her lips was proof enough.

"How are you… fairing?" The demon lord suddenly raised his head steadied his molten honey eyes on Rin. It was evident that only a week was far from enough to heal the damage Ryu has caused to her body, but the girl was young and vigorous. She healed quickly.

Rin met his questioning gaze and placed the cup on the tray. She sighed, "I've been worse. As Kaede-sama likes to say, there's nothing time won't be able to heal. But then again, when you are healed, you're too old to enjoy" Her voice intertwined with glum and she offered smile, but this time it didn't reach her eyes.

 _Is she mocking her own humanity?_ Sesshomaru frowned inwardly.

After a short pause, she continued, "My Lord… may I ask… when we would be leaving to Edo?" The polite question did a terrible job at covering her overbearing eagerness to see her adoptive family. She had truly missed the people who cared for her during those years. A chance to see them would offer her at least a temporary escape from the courtly life. Besides, she hadn't accompanied the dog yokai on his journeys for quite some time now. It was a much awaited change in her life.

"Soon." Sesshomaru simply voiced.

* * *

 **AN:** _Heyy fellow fanfic fans, h_ _appy 2019! T_ _hank you so much for your reviews. They give this huge motivation boost to write, y'know !_

 _ecided to upload this chapter since I had some time on my hands ;). Not sure when Imma upload the next one, but I already have the main setting planned and something scribbled down, so hopefully soon enough._

 _About Rin being underage and Sesshomaru being too kinky - those days it was acceptable for girls of around that age to get married. But of course, Rin will be older when the real stuff begins ;) this is kind of a slow burn fanfic, and so everything will get more intense a lil bit later. So ya'll just have to wait up and endure for a bit:D_


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